Senate Republicans Use Deepfake Technology on Chuck Schumer: Why Is X Allowing It to Stay Up?

Senate Republicans shared a deepfake video of Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, aimed at misleading viewers into thinking Democrats were celebrating the ongoing government shutdown, which is in its 16th day. In this AI-generated video, Schumer is seen saying, “every day gets better for us,” a phrase taken out of context from a Punchbowl News article where he discussed the Democrats’ strategy amid the shutdown.

This government shutdown arose due to disagreement between Democrats and Republicans over a funding bill. Democrats seek to maintain tax credits that reduce health insurance costs for millions and reverse cuts to Medicaid while blocking reductions to government health agencies.

The video was posted on the Senate Republicans’ official X account. According to X’s policies, the platform prohibits the "deceptive sharing of synthetic or manipulated media that is likely to cause harm." This includes media that might mislead people or create significant confusion regarding public issues. Despite these policies, the deepfake video remains on the platform without any warning label or removal.

This incident is not isolated; X has previously allowed politically manipulated videos, leading to substantial debate about the platform’s responsibility in regulating such content. California and several other states have begun to enact laws against deepfakes intended to mislead voters or influence elections.

In response to backlash, Joanna Rodriguez, the communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, emphasized that “AI is here and not going anywhere,” suggesting that adapting to such technologies is crucial for political success.

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