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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [POLITICS]

2 clusters · 28 sources · 1 days · First seen 5 days ago · Last updated 5 days ago

Spanish political dispute over AI-generated videos

Overview

The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) is evaluating legal action against the opposition People’s Party (PP) following the release of a deepfake video utilizing artificial intelligence to impersonate several prominent political figures. The video features AI-generated versions of Begoña Gómez, former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and other figures, using cloned voices and faces to attribute fabricated statements regarding corruption or criminal activities.

While the PP has defended the use of the technology as a “legitimate tool for political satire,” individual figures have taken specific legal steps. Former socialist activist Leire Díez has filed a lawsuit against the PP in the National Court. Her counsel, Eva Bejarano, alleges the video constitutes crimes of slander with publicity, attacks on moral integrity, and digital identity impersonation, arguing the content was designed to “humiliate, mock, and cause grave damage to the dignity” of her client.

Specifically, the video portrays Díez using her likeness and voice to falsely claim she hired “thugs to get rid of a judge,” referring to Magistrate Beatriz Biedma. Díez’s legal team has requested precautionary measures for the provisional removal of the content from all digital platforms under PP control and has called for the Civil Guard to search PP headquarters to identify those responsible. The PSOE has condemned the videos, stating that using technology to spread falsehoods crosses a “dangerous line in political discourse.”

Entities

Leire Díez · Spain · Partido Popular · Audiencia Nacional · Spanish National Police

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 19 SOURCES] The PP released a video using AI deepfakes to impersonate PSOE members. cronicadecantabria.com · www.elperiodico.digital · www.notiulti.com · www.deia.eus · www.spainenglish.com · +14 more
[● 10 SOURCES] The video features AI-generated versions of Begoña Gómez, José Luis Ábalos, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Leire Díez, Montse Mínguez, and Santos Cerdán. www.notiulti.com · www.deia.eus · www.spainenglish.com · www.lavozdegalicia.es · www.diaridetarragona.com · +5 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The PSOE is considering legal action against the PP regarding the video. cronicadecantabria.com · www.notiulti.com · www.noticiasdenavarra.com · www.spainenglish.com · labandera.es · +4 more
[● 7 SOURCES] The video attributes fabricated admissions of crimes to the depicted individuals. www.deia.eus · www.spainenglish.com · www.diaridetarragona.com · www.elperiodico.digital · www.informacion.es · +2 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Leire Díez filed a lawsuit against the PP for defamation, digital identity theft, and crimes against moral integrity. labandera.es · www.diariodejerez.es · www.diariodesevilla.es · www.theguardian.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Borja Sémper defended the use of AI as a tool for political communication. cronicadecantabria.com · www.spainenglish.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The video uses the slogan ‘Lerdos y orgullosos’. cronicadecantabria.com · www.deia.eus
[● 2 SOURCES] The deepfake video has reportedly received over 21 million views within 16 hours. www.diariodejerez.es · www.diariodesevilla.es
[○ 1 SOURCE] The PSOE is considering reporting the content to the Spanish Data Protection Agency or the AI Supervision Agency. www.notiulti.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit requests that the Civil Guard search the PP headquarters to locate the video's authors. labandera.es
[○ 1 SOURCE] The PP campaign committee stated they will not desist from using such tactics. www.informacion.es

Timeline

5 days ago

[POLITICS] 19 sources
Spain's PP faces legal backlash over AI deepfake videos
Spain's PP is facing lawsuits and condemnation after releasing AI deepfake videos that impersonate PSOE leaders to falsely depict them admitting to crimes.
5 days ago

[POLITICS] 11 sources
Leire Díez files lawsuit against PP over AI-generated video
Leire Díez has sued Spain's People's Party (PP) for defamation and identity impersonation after they released an AI-generated video falsely accusing her of hiring thugs to target a judge.

Sources

arainfo.org · bilbaohiria.com · caminodesantiago.lavozdegalicia.com · cronicadecantabria.com · dbalears.cat · deia.eus · diaridetarragona.com · diariodejerez.es · diariodesevilla.es · diarioformosa.net · elcorreoweb.es · labandera.es · lapatria.bo · larazon.es · lasemainedansleboulonnais.fr · lavanguardia.com · levante-emv.com · meneame.net · noticiasdemalaga.es · noticiasdeNavarra.com · notiulti.com · ocio.diariodemallorca.es · ocio.diarioinformacion.com · ocio.farodevigo.es · okdiario.com · spainenglish.com · theguardian.com · web.eldia.es

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history