Guyana faces calls to modernize cyber laws against AI deepfakes

Guyana faces an urgent need to modernize its cyber laws to combat the rise of generative artificial intelligence and deepfakes. The proliferation of hyper-realistic, fabricated audio and video targeting public officials has created a significant risk of social and political unrest.

Existing legal frameworks, including the Cybercrime Act of 2018 and older defamation laws, are viewed as insufficient to address the speed and verisimilitude of AI-generated disinformation. There are concerns that synthesized content, such as fake voice notes shared via WhatsApp, could exacerbate ethnic and political polarization in the country.