Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has raised concerns about the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the technology used to create deep fakes (deepfake), labeling them as a “completely new type of threat.” Speaking at the Aspen Digital conference focusing on elections and artificial intelligence, Clinton pointed out that the use of her image to propagate misinformation is a clear indicator of the rapid advancements in these technologies.
Reflecting on the 2016 elections, Clinton and her team encountered misinformation being spread through social media platforms, but underestimated the magnitude of the threat at the time. She now highlights the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in this realm and the alarming number of individuals who believe in disinformation presented in their social media feeds.
During her address, Clinton also delved into the topic of Section 230 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which grants online platforms immunity from liability for content posted by users. She advocated for the repeal of this section, arguing that it serves as a primary facilitator for the dissemination of misinformation online. Clinton maintained that revoking Section 230 would not negatively impact the profits of tech companies, provided they adjust their algorithms to prevent harmful content from spreading.
Clinton stressed the necessity of combating negative and viral content online, expressing frustration that the issue of Section 230 is still under debate despite its clear role in enabling the proliferation of misinformation.