In a classic case of Silicon Valley deciding that code will save us all, Meta announced on Wednesday that it will use artificial intelligence to track and remove misleading content ahead of elections in the United States and around the world. Because if there is one thing the global democratic process has been missing, it is more algorithms.
The company said it has assembled a task force of technologies and policy wonks to keep the digital peace, deploying AI to detect and either label or remove false claims across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. Among the focuses of these efforts are false claims about how and when to vote, doctored or out-of-context videos of candidates and posts that march suspiciously close to inciting violence. In other words, Meta is hoping AI can tell the difference between a campaign speech and a deepfake fever dream.
Meta also confirmed it will maintain its longstanding policy of not fact-checking posts by politicians. The company says this is in the interest of political expression, though critics might argue it is also in the interest of plausible deniability. Fortunately, any misinformation not posted by people in suits with campaign signs will be subjected to third-party fact-checking.
The company has partnered with 18 organizations in the United States to fact-check content, a job that presumably leaves participants questioning both the truth and their life choices. While AI has not yet reached sentience, it may soon learn to sigh heavily when it sees the latest viral conspiracy theory about mail-in ballots being delivered by drones.
In the great race between misinformation and artificial intelligence, only time will tell whether humanity gets a fair election or just another new filter for political chaos.
The bots are watching, so you do not have to.