La sinistra esiste, la destra resiste

Spain’s conservative People's Party launched a controversial artificial intelligence generated video this week, sparking immediate backlash ahead of national elections scheduled for November 29. The advertisement, distributed via the party's social media channels, utilized deepfake technology to create manipulated likenesses of figures associated with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's ruling Socialist Party. The clip depicted these individuals admitting to illicit activities, including soliciting prostitutes and accepting bribes. By Friday, the video had accumulated approximately two million views. The content featured an AI generated version of Sanchez's wife, Begona Gomez, speaking about securing a university position due to her husband's influence. It also included a deepfake of former Socialist President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero discussing hiding jewelry in a safe. These portrayals reference ongoing investigations in which both Gomez and Zapatero have denied any wrongdoing. Another figure, Leire Diez, a former Socialist Party member, was shown implying she undermined judicial authorities to aid the government. Socialist Party officials reacted swiftly to the release. Oscar Lopez, Spain's Digital Transformation Minister, criticized the tactic during an interview with public broadcaster TVE. He described the video as a colossal lie and argued that its distribution through official party accounts was intolerable. Lopez highlighted the broader risks of such technology, noting how easily viewers unfamiliar with AI might mistake the fabricated footage for reality. He characterized the incident as extremely serious despite the technical disclaimers present in the clip. Legal challenges followed shortly after the video went viral. On Friday, Leire Diez filed a court complaint against the People's Party. She alleged defamation and digital identity theft, demanding the immediate removal of the campaign advertisement. Her legal action focuses on the specific use of her image to suggest involvement in obstructing justice. Despite the controversy, legal analysis suggests the party may face limited liability. A review by nine legal experts consulted by the newspaper El Pais indicated that the actions were likely not illegal. The consensus among the majority of these experts was that the video was protected under political satire because it was labeled as AI generated. The label, however, appeared in tiny, nearly transparent text at the bottom of the screen. Iñigo Navarro, a former dean of the law faculty at Madrid's Comillas Pontifical University, noted that within the current political context, the public generally understands that the depicted statements were not actually made by the subjects. This incident occurs amid a tense pre-election atmosphere. Polls indicate that the People's Party, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, holds a favorable position, although recent trends show the Socialist Party gaining ground. Sanchez has attempted to mobilize the left around social issues such as housing, though critics argue his strategy lacks a coherent narrative beyond a comeback theme. The Socialist Party currently projects high voter turnout, with estimates suggesting participation could reach 77 percent, one of the highest in history. However, data indicates the Socialists are still losing approximately 700,000 votes to right-wing parties. In the most probable scenario, the People's Party and Vox together would secure 196 seats. Feijóo faces scrutiny over his campaign rhetoric, with opponents portraying him as both moderate and manipulative. His team acknowledges that his words are heavily analyzed and exploited by rivals. Meanwhile, the Socialist Party employs a rapid-fire tactical approach, introducing new topics into the public debate daily to prevent detailed analysis of previous controversies. This strategy aims to keep the focus on their momentum rather than past governance issues. The upcoming period includes televised debates and interviews, which are expected to further shape the electoral landscape before voting day.