Washington, August 18: A group of 19 U.S. lawmakers has raised concerns about Meta’s election security measures ahead of the 2026 elections. They argue that the company’s reduction in fact-checking and increasing reliance on artificial intelligence have heightened the risk of deepfakes and political misinformation for American voters.
Democratic Senator Kevin Mullin, leading the group, has demanded answers from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He questioned whether the company is prepared to address the rapidly evolving threats across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp.
“Generative AI has made it easier than ever to create convincing deepfakes and other misleading content. We are already witnessing these tactics being used to influence U.S. elections. Meta’s headquarters is in my district, and in recent years, the company has rolled back crucial security measures designed to combat misinformation. This raises serious questions about its readiness to tackle today’s fast-changing threats,” Mullin stated.
The lawmakers also highlighted Meta’s decision to discontinue its third-party fact-checking program in the U.S., which involved over 90 independent organizations reviewing potentially suspicious content. In its place, Meta has introduced Community Notes, allowing users to add context to posts. Lawmakers argue this shift places the burden of information verification on users who may lack the time, resources, or expertise.
The letter stated, “We believe that Meta’s approach to the 2026 election cycle is inadequate, especially given the cuts to fact-checking, the automation of risk reviews, and the increase of AI-generated content on Meta’s platforms.”
They cited the example of a fake conservative MAGA influencer named ‘Emily Hart,’ reportedly created by a 22-year-old medical student from India using AI tools. This synthetic profile promoted anti-abortion and anti-immigration views, gaining millions of views and thousands of subscribers before being removed by Instagram.
The letter also referenced deepfake incidents in the Texas and Georgia Senate races, including a realistic fake video advertisement featuring Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, who appeared to speak directly to the camera.
Lawmakers have requested a comparison of Meta’s U.S. election security staff and budget for 2020, 2024, and 2026. They seek information on policies regarding deepfake videos, synthetic audio, and accounts impersonating political figures.
Additionally, they have inquired whether paid political influencers will need to disclose their earnings and funding, and if political ads must identify AI-generated misleading images or audio. Lawmakers also requested information on complaint channels for state and local election officials, the time taken to remove misleading content, and the effectiveness of Community Notes. Zuckerberg is expected to respond by September 18.
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