Tamil Nadu's Crackdown on Deepfake Politics

Tamil Nadu's CEO, Archana Patnaik, announced that deepfake and AI-generated content will be swiftly removed from political party handles if deemed misleading or unlawful. Parties must label AI content clearly and adhere to Election Commission guidelines. New procedures for certification and combating urban voter apathy were also introduced.

The CEO of Tamil Nadu, Archana Patnaik, has issued a stern warning to political parties regarding the use of deepfake and AI-generated content. Such content, if found misleading or unlawful, will be removed from party handles within three hours of detection or reporting.

Parties and candidates are urged to follow the Election Commission's guidelines, which include clear labeling of AI-produced media. Applications for political advertisements must be submitted for certification by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) in advance. Recognised parties have a three-day deadline, while others have a seven-day deadline, with processing completed within 48 hours.

Additionally, the Election Commission aims to tackle urban voter apathy by setting up 14 polling stations in high-rise residential complexes and group housing societies as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 initiative.

(With inputs from agencies.)