SANTA FE – Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver today announced the launch
of a new statewide advertising campaign as part of her Office’s commitment to
combating misinformation during the 2024 election cycle.
The purpose of the campaign is to educate voters about the potential risks associated
with artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and their potential impact on the
manipulation of election information by malicious actors. The campaign aims to raise
awareness and empower voters with the knowledge to make informed decisions
during the 2024 elections and beyond.
“It’s officially election season and with the Primary Election happening soon on June
4, we want all New Mexicans to be aware of AI-manipulated media that could distort
the truth about the election and candidates,” said Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse
Oliver. “With the creation of deepfakes and other manipulated media through AI
software, seeing is no longer believing. We recommend that voters only access
information from trusted sources – like their county clerk or the Secretary of State’s
Office – while remaining skeptical of material from unknown entities. As the
campaign’s tagline states, When In Doubt, Check It Out.”
Launched on May 1, 2024, across various media channels in New Mexico, the “Seeing
is no longer believing” campaign was developed in collaboration with Esparza Digital
+ Advertising and will broadcast on social media, television stations, radio, outdoor
billboards, and print publications. The Secretary of State’s Office has also developed
resources for the public, such as an AI Quiz for New Mexico voters and
downloadable one-pagers with strategies for recognizing AI-manipulated media they
may encounter during the 2024 elections.
“In the pursuit of safeguarding the sanctity of our democratic process, I proudly lead
the advertising agency chosen by the New Mexico Secretary of State. Our mission is
clear: to communicate the potential dangers of AI-altered political advertising,
guarding against misinformation that may sway the voter’s choice. We stand
committed to supporting the Secretary of State’s office in this noble endeavor,” said
Del Esparza, CEO of Esparza Digital + Advertising Voters can learn more about the campaign, take the AI Quiz, and access voter education resources at sos.nm.gov/AI.
This current campaign is part of the Secretary of State’s commitment to combating
election misinformation that has seen a dramatic rise since 2020. It builds on previous
work, such as the Rumor vs. Reality website maintained by the Office and the Your
Vote Counts, New Mexico! media campaign highlighting the work of county election
officials and educating voters about the integrity of New Mexico’s elections.
New Mexicans can typically identify deepfakes by carefully reviewing the details of the
communication with a critical eye. The characteristics include:
● Asymmetrical features such as hands, fingers, and facial exaggerations within photos
● Lack of emotional expression in videos and pictures
● Irregular shadows, blurred video, and flickering lights
● Inconsistencies at the edge of people’s faces, which could be a result of face-swapping
● Skin that appears too smooth or too wrinkly
● Excessive blinking of the eyes and inconsistent facial expressions
● Words that are slurred and said incorrectly
● Voices that are monotone and sound unemotional with a lack of intonation
● Low-quality background noise in videos and audio recordings
If New Mexicans receive any misinformation or deepfakes about elections or
candidates, they are encouraged to report it to the Secretary of State’s office at
elections@sos.nm.gov. If they are unfamiliar with the information source, the
Secretary of State urges that the information should not be shared on social media.
New Mexicans should also be skeptical of any requests via text or telephone that are
out of character with the election, such as changes in voting dates and locations.
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