Philippines election authority deploys deepfake task force, digital IDs for overseas voters

In a bid to combat disinformation in the upcoming 2025 elections, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has launched a new task force to address the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes. This initiative comes amid heightened concerns over a growing number of incidents of deepfake misuse.

Manila Bulletin reports that task force Katotohanan, Katapatan at Katarungan (KKK) sa Halalan will monitor and regulate published content across TV, radio, print and online.

The task force comes amid a recent deepfake video falsely depicting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. engaging in illicit drug activities, which was condemned by officials as malicious and harmful to the democratic process, South China Morning Post reveals​. This is not an isolated incident as the Times reports that in April, a deepfake audio clip emerged featuring a voice resembling President Marcos Jr. allegedly ordering military action against China.

Commissioner Nelson Celis expressed gratitude to the participants for heeding COMELEC’s call to address the potential threats posed by AI technology and deepfakes to the electoral process.

Digital IDs for internet voters

In addition to combating deepfakes in the lead up to the elections in the Philippines, COMELEC is also exploring innovations to make voter registration more accessible. Earlier this month, COMELEC unveiled plans to issue digital voter’s identification (IDs) cards for overseas Filipino voters.

COMELEC chairperson George Garcia announced plans for online voter registration for passport holders, both domestically and abroad, which could streamline the process and ensure broader voter participation, extending to Filipinos overseas who are registered voters. According to reports from the Philippine News Agency, voters can request their digital voter’s ID by sending an email to the commission.

Verification of identity for the digital voter’s ID cards can be done using biometrics data, according to a NewsLine Philippines report.

COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon states that if a partnership with the DFA is established, it will enable the sharing of biometrics and data between the two agencies. This collaboration could facilitate online voter registration, making the process accessible to Filipinos both domestically and abroad.

Article Topics

Comelec  |  deepfake detection  |  digital ID  |  elections  |  fraud prevention  |  Philippines  |  voter identification