WIREDGOV

The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched a series of educational videos for councillors and council officers to help identify the growing risks posed by deepfakes and other forms of synthetic media.

Deepfakes and AI‑generated synthetic media are emerging as a fast‑growing concern for local authorities. The LGA’s 2025 survey on AI use in councils found that a third of respondents viewed deepfake‑driven disinformation as a risk “to a great extent”, second only to cyber security, while a further 37 per cent saw it as a risk “to a moderate extent”.

An internal LGA study outlined 14 categories of risk facing local government, warning that these challenges are increasing rapidly as synthetic media technologies become more accessible and more sophisticated.

In response, the LGA has developed a concise, accessible video series to raise awareness. The videos aim to support councils by: 

• Defining key terminology, including misinformation, disinformation and malinformation
• Explaining what deepfakes and synthetic media are, and the role of AI in producing them
• Highlighting the main risks and challenges these technologies pose for local government
• Offering practical steps officers and councillors can take to identify, mitigate and respond to threats
• Sharing anonymised examples demonstrating how synthetic media has already impacted local democracy

The series was developed by the LGA’s Cyber, Digital and Technology (CDT) team, drawing on evidence from a commissioned report, consultation across professional networks and specialist insights on AI and emerging technologies. 

To bring this content to life, the CDT team partnered with creative agency Agent, to produce animations with professional voiceovers, which are now available to watch on the LGA website. 

Cllr Richard Clewer, Chairman of the LGA’s Public Service Reform and Innovation Committee, said:

“Synthetic media and deepfakes are no longer abstract technological concepts, but real risks which councils are already beginning to face.

“This is particularly pertinent for elections and other future democratic engagement, where misinformation, disinformation and malinformation are likely to spread further.

“This new video series developed by the LGA will help colleagues across local government build their understanding, strengthen their resilience and protect the integrity of local democracy.”

The video series is now available for councils to access and share across their teams and can be viewed at LGA: Deepfakes and Synthetic Media Unpacked

Notes to Editors

LGA State of the sector: Artificial intelligence – 2025 update