WIREDGOV

The Electoral Commission has launched an innovative pilot to detect political deepfakes and counter the growing threat of AI misinformation. The pilot is now live ahead of the May elections in England, Scotland and Wales. 

The system monitors online content for deepfake audio and video intended to mislead voters about the electoral process or falsely depict candidates. For example, false videos claiming a candidate has withdrawn, or audio clips falsely depicting a candidate making offensive remarks.

False or misleading information can spread rapidly during elections, and AI tools have made convincing deepfakes faster and cheaper to produce. In Ireland in 2025, a deepfake falsely showed a presidential candidate withdrawing from the race just days before polling day. 

During the 2024 UK general election, over half of voters surveyed by the Commission said they saw misleading information about parties or candidates, and around a quarter reported seeing or hearing a deepfake. 

Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: 

“Voters want accurate information. Deliberately misleading or abusive video of candidates must not be shared. Deepfakes are becoming more sophisticated and more accessible, as we have seen in elections around the world. 

“A deepfake is yet to meaningfully affect a UK election, and we are determined to keep it that way. This pilot means we can identify deepfakes quickly, track their impact, work with parties and candidates to take down or correct misleading material. This will give voters confidence that accurate information about how elections work is available. We will share our findings after the May elections.” 

The pilot is being delivered in partnership with ACE, the Accelerated Capability Environment, an innovation unit within the Home Office. 

The Commission will monitor and collate the evidence. Where the Commission identifies content that raises serious concerns, it can refer material to the police and other relevant bodies and may request removal from social media platforms. 

For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk 

• The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:
  • enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
  • regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
  • using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency
• The pilot covers England, Scotland and Wales, where elections are taking place on 7 May 2026, and is running from April to June to allow time for evaluation. Northern Ireland is not included in this phase, but the Commission will consider how the work may apply to future elections across the UK.
• The Commission is not removing content, but where material raises serious concerns, it may request removal by social media platforms. All potential deepfakes identified by the tools will be reviewed by a human analyst before any action is taken. We will work closely with affected candidates and parties.
• In Ireland in 2025, a deepfake falsely showed a presidential candidate withdrawing from the race (Opens in new window).