Comelec releases guidelines on digital campaigning, AI use for 2025 polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday released the guidelines on digital campaigning and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the May 2025 elections.

The Comelec in July formed Task Force Katotohanan, Katapatan at Katarungan (KKK) sa Halalan to protect the upcoming polls against misinformation and disinformation using modern technology, such as AI.

Based on the guidelines, all official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms of candidates and parties intending to participate in the 2025 national and local elections and parliamentary elections should register with the poll body’s Education and Information Department (EID).

Registration should be made within 30 calendar days after the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy until 13 December.

Only the candidates and their authorized representatives, as well as authorized representatives of registered political parties/coalitions, and party-list organizations, may submit their registration forms for their official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs/vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms.

“Any person or entity other than a candidate or political party, who shall create, or manage similar social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms primarily designed or used during the election period to solicit votes and promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates, shall also submit the registration forms and comply with the requirements of this guidelines,” the Comelec noted.

The poll body said all social media accounts and digital campaign platforms for registration of the Comelec will be submitted and evaluated by the EID, and subsequently reviewed by the Task Force KKK sa Halalan.

The Task Force KKK sa Halalan will then make an endorsement and recommendation for approval or denial of the reviewed applications to the Commission En Banc.

The social media accounts and digital campaign platforms created and managed by private individuals and entities or organizations registered with the EID will also be published, according to Comelec.

Meanwhile, a request for the removal, takedown, or blocking of the said content, social media or digital platforms, or accounts shall also be made by the Comelec through the Task Force KKK sa Halalan to the technology platforms and providers, and/or the concerned law enforcement agency.

AI technology

All election propaganda and campaign materials of candidates and political parties, that utilize AI technology will be required to disclose the fact of its use and appropriate technology is employed ot identify its authenticity and legitimate source.

“Disclosures or disclaimers, which shall be clear, conspicuous, and not easily removed or altered, must remain visible or audible for a sufficient duration both before and after the campaign material is presented,” Comelec noted.

“The disclosure or disclaimer shall explicitly state that the content has been manipulated using artificial intelligence, providing a detailed explanation of the nature and extent of the manipulation,” it added.

Additionally, it must include a statement confirming that prior consent has been obtained from all individuals depicted in the AI-manipulated election material, the poll body said.

“Any entity involved in distributing synthetic election-related media is also required to ensure that the media contains the necessary disclosures and disclaimers as mandated.”

For visual media, the text of the disclosure or disclaimer must appear in a font size no smaller than the largest font used within the campaign material.

The disclosure or disclaimer must also be clearly distinguished from other content, with sufficient color contrast between the text and the background to ensure legibility.

The disclosure or disclaimer must also be enclosed in a printed box or set apart in a manner that visually distinguishes it from other content.

For campaign materials that include both visual and audio elements, the disclosure or disclaimer must be presented both in written form and as an audible statement.

The written form should remain visible and the audible form should be spoken clearly for a considerable amount of time at the beginning and end of the media, in both cases ensuring that the content is understandable to the average viewer.

For campaign materials consisting solely of audio content, the disclosure or disclaimer must be spoken in a clear and audible manner and at a volume that can be easily heard by the average listener at the beginning and the end of the audio content.

If the Comelec, through the Task Force KKK sa Halalan, detects the use of artificial intelligence technology in any campaign material disseminated or published through the social media accounts without any proper disclosures or use of watermark technology as required by the Comelec, the concerned candidate or party, and their respective social media campaign managers, will be required to explain why a complaint for violation of these guidelines should not be filed against them.

Prohibited acts

The Comelec identified the use of "false amplifiers,” such as fake accounts, bots, and astroturf groups filled with fake users to propagate disinformation and misinformation in endorsing or campaigning against a candidate, a political party/coalition, or party-list organizations, or to propagate disinformation, and misinformation targeting the Philippine election system, as one of the prohibited acts.

Among the prohibited acts include coordinated inauthentic behavior and utilization of hyperactive users for the aforementioned purposes; creation and dissemination of deepfake, cheapfakes, and soft fakes; use of fake and unregistered social media accounts during the election and campaign period for the same purposes; and creation and dissemination of fake news in furtherance of the aforementioned purposes.

Moreover, the use of content produced through Al technology but without compliance to the transparency and disclosure requirements under the said guidelines is also prohibited.