1. The FCC is considering requiring disclosure of AI-generated content in political ads, but not banning it.
2. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed the investigation and seeking of comments on such a rule.
3. The proposal is in the fact-finding stage, with potential regulations on candidate and issue ads needing to include disclosure of AI-generated content.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering requiring political ads to disclose if they contain AI-generated content but not banning them altogether. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed investigating and seeking comment on this rule, emphasizing consumers’ right to know when AI tools are used in ads. The proposed framework would require ads to include a disclosure that AI-generated content was used, although this would not apply to all platforms due to the FCC’s limited authority.
This proposal is the first step in developing a new regulation, focusing on fact-finding rather than immediate implementation. The FCC would seek comments on the necessity of the regulation, how to define AI-generated content, and other related issues. The document highlights the public interest obligation to protect against false or deceptive programming in political ads, with the potential to deter misleading content and combat bad actors.
The FCC’s proposal aims to promote transparency in political advertising by disclosing the use of AI-generated content. However, it remains unclear how this rule would interact with existing regulations from the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Election Commission. The timeline for implementing this proposal is also uncertain, but it could potentially be approved relatively quickly by the other Commissioners.