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Sen. Bennet presses social media tech giants on election integrity
He specifically requested information on the number of content moderators employed across various languages
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Sen. Bennet presses social media tech giants on election integrity / Pexels
Senator Michael Bennet, member of the Senate Intelligence and Rules Committees overseeing US elections, has reached out to leaders of major tech companies, including Alphabet, Meta, TikTok, and X, seeking insights into their preparations for upcoming elections worldwide, with a particular focus on India.
In a letter addressed to these companies, Senator Bennet highlighted the significant risks posed by their platforms to democratic processes, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) models. He stressed that the accessibility of advanced AI tools has heightened concerns about the proliferation of misleading content like deepfakes, potentially undermining the integrity of elections and political stability.
"In India, the world's largest democracy, the country's dominant social media platforms including Meta-owned WhatsApp have a long track record of amplifying misleading and false content," wrote Senator Bennet, citing concerns over the propagation of disinformation networks by political actors exploiting ethnic sentiments for personal gain.
Senator Bennet emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that with over 70 countries slated to hold elections and more than two billion individuals participating in voting this year, 2024 represents a critical juncture for democracy.
"I want to know what new policies have you put in place to prepare for the 2024 Indian election," Senator Bennet's letter stated, pressing the tech giants for details on their election-related policies and content moderation efforts, particularly focusing on languages relevant to India.
He specifically requested information on the number of content moderators employed across various languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili, and Dogri, distinguishing between full-time employees and contractors.
Senator Bennet urged the companies to disclose their strategies for tackling AI-generated content and enhance transparency to mitigate the risks associated with online manipulation of democratic processes.
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