US.Secretaries of State welcome X’s steps to address election misinformation and emphasize the need for accurate information from trusted sources.
Five of the US Secretaries of State have welcomed and expressed satisfaction with X’s steps in addressing the spread of false election information on its AI platform Grok. The officials expressed cautious optimism about the changes and emphasized the need for valid information to ensure the integrity of the upcoming federal elections.
The spread of false information has become a concern as the US federal election approaches. Both public and political leaders have, in a way, been victims of misinformation.
The changes made by X came after a letter sent on August 5 that was signed by five US officials: Steve Simon from Minnesota, Jocelyn Benson from Michigan, Maggie Toulouse Oliver from New Mexico, Al Schmidt from Pennsylvania, and Steve Hobbs from Washington.
The letter was sent after the platform AI’s search assistant provided incorrect information about election rules in their respective states. Responding to this, the social media platform has made some adjustments. Henceforth, all election-related inquiries on Grok will be directed to vote.gov, which is a non-partisan website that provides authoritative information for voters.
The United States government operates the website in collaboration with the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Secretaries of State Express Cautious Optimism
Appreciating the effort made by X, the five secretaries praised the social media platform and expressed optimism for continuous improvement in passing out accurate information to its users. They said:
“We appreciate X’s action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year. Elections are a team effort, and we need and welcome any partners who are committed to ensuring free, fair, secure, and accurate elections.”
The officials stressed that voters should ensure they get valid information regarding the forthcoming election only from their local election officers and reputable websites. They stated:
“Election rules and procedures can vary widely from state to state, and voters should seek out information from their local election officials about who can vote when they can vote, and how they can vote in their area.”
The spread of false information by AI has become a serious issue as the 2024 US presidential election approaches. The technology has received criticism from the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, who labeled it dangerous even though his own campaign used fake digital images to make it seem like singer Taylor Swift supported him.
While artificial intelligence is helpful in many areas, a study by Anthony Banbury, President of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, and Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman, electoral commissioner of Mauritius, has revealed that false information spread through this technology is the biggest threat to fair elections.
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