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Microsoft, Google, Meta & other tech firms sign pact to combat election deepfakes

X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, and other social media and AI firms are also involved in the effort to stifle election misinformation and deceptive media.

TJ Denzer

February 16, 2024 10:50 AM

Image via Angela Weiss/AFP

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A new pact has been signed by around 20 major tech firms in social media and AI technology to combat deepfake media in relation to the 2024 US election. As we push into the 2024 election year, AI technology continues to evolve at an alarming pace, especially in regards to visuals, audio, and media in general. There have already been uses of deepfakes in regards to popular figures such as Taylor Swift, but groups like Microsoft, Meta, X, Google, and Amazon have vowed to not allow deepfake media to run rampant with disinformation that could affect the race for the US Presidency this year.

The pact between these tech firms was revealed this week, as reported by CNBC. It involves some of the most prominent tech groups in the world in regards to social media and AI product and service development. All groups involved have pledged to combat AI-based misinformation in regards to the 2024 election.

The companies notably revealed to be involved in the election year pact are as follows:

• Micorosft
• Google
• Amazon
• IBM
• Arm Holdings
• Meta
• Snap
• TikTok
• X (Twitter)
• Adobe
• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Stability AI

While the pact is largely symbolic, it does stand to act as a deterrent in the election year. Notably, companies involved don’t quite fully intend to ban deepfakes, but rather make labeling tools in AI technology that better clarifies when AI is being used in any given media’s creation. Ultimately, the hope is to reduce misinformation and maliciously misleading messages during the US Presidential Election.

There has been plenty of concern about AI already, to the point that President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order to create safeguards in AI. With the presidency on the line this year, it will be interesting to see if the world’s tech companies can get a handle on malicious use of AI in media before it becomes too chaotic.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.