Elon Musk Deepfake Dabbling: A Risky Venture Amid Political Tension

Elon Musk Deepfake Dabbling: The maestro of internet memes and billionaire CEO of Tesla, has ventured into deepfake territory, risking backlash amid a tense political climate. Musk recently shared an altered version of a campaign video for Vice President Kamala Harris on his social media platform, X, claiming it was a parody. This action could potentially violate X’s policy against sharing synthetic and manipulated media.

The edited video imitates Harris’s voice, making it seem she declares herself the new Democratic candidate for the presidential election. It follows President Biden’s “reveal” of his senility. The video also portrays Harris as the “ultimate diversity hire.” It describes her efforts to address the border crisis as “catastrophic.”

Political Fallout and Criticism

In response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s criticism, Musk claimed he created the Harris video as a parody. He emphasized its intention to avoid misleading viewers. A Harris campaign spokeswoman argued that Americans value genuine freedom, opportunity, and security. She criticized Musk and Trump’s claims as fake and manipulated.

This incident highlights Musk’s willingness to engage in the political moment to boost X. It also illustrates the risks involved. July has been a headline-grabbing month, with Trump surviving an assassination attempt. The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and Harris succeeding Biden as the Democratic candidate were major events. These occurrences have significantly benefited X, a platform many users had abandoned since Musk’s 2022 acquisition.

Musk’s parody defense and political maneuvering show X’s strategic use of controversy for relevance, WSJ Print Subscription said.

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X’s Surge in Popularity

Following Biden’s announcement of his decision to withdraw from the presidential race, which garnered over 381 million views on X, downloads of the X mobile app on iPhones and Android devices in the U.S. surged. Musk expressed his excitement when an X user commented on the platform’s increased engagement, replying, “Ride the information dragon!”

The Risks of Generative AI

The fast-paced news cycle offers opportunities for generative artificial intelligence. This technology can create fake images and clone human voices. It can also produce videos that distort world events. By reposting an AI-generated deepfake, Musk may have violated an X policy. This policy, established in April 2023, prohibits sharing synthetic media that could deceive or confuse people.

Policy Violations and Public Reaction

X’s policy allows memes or satires, provided they don’t cause significant confusion about the media’s authenticity. While resharing the video, Musk called it “amazing” but didn’t clarify it was intended as a parody. Musk has previously shared debunked rumors and posts promoting conspiracy theories with his nearly 200 million followers.

The resharing of the edited Harris video went viral almost instantly. Initially posted on X by the @MrReaganUSA account, the video was reposted nearly 6,000 times. Since Musk shared it, his post has been reshared 230,000 times.

Alex Howard, a digital governance expert, labeled the post a violation of X’s policies, questioning whether the platform would retroactively change its rules to allow such violations during an election year. Musk, who has distanced himself from Democrats despite having voted for Biden, even endorsed Trump this month. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk has privately committed about $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super political-action committee, although Musk later claimed his contribution was “at a much lower level.”

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