Elections can't be hit by strategies like deepfakes says EU

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 10 - European political parties have signed a code of conduct ahead of European Parliament elections scheduled in June in which they pledge to "support ethical and fair electoral practices", the European Commission has said in a statement.
    The Commission stressed the importance of the pledge "in a context of growing concern for the protection of the integrity of elections in Europe from internal and external threats".
    The parties that signed the code of conduct rules included the European Popular Party (EPP), the Party of European Socialists (PES), the European Greens, the European Left, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). Identity and Democracy (ID) instead announced that it would not adhere to the code of conduct.
    "This agreement will help create and build trust with voters and increase their confidence in the electoral process", said Commission Vice President Vera Jourová who hosted the signing ceremony on April 9.
    "Elections should set the stage for the competition of ideas, not manipulative methods such as AI-generated deepfakes".
    One of the code's commitments, for example, provides for signatories to "encourage inclusive political discourse and participation, refraining from producing, using or disseminating discriminatory statements and biases against specific groups based on their gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation".
    Another example is the parties' pledge to "refrain from running political ads sponsored by undeclared interests or otherwise engaging intermediaries to place campaign messages without attribution". (ANSA).