Staff Reports
A $1 million smackdown from the Federal Communications Commission has been handed to Lingo Telecom for allowing a deepfake robocall that impersonated President Joe Biden to reach the good folks of New Hampshire. This little escapade was particularly colorful since it came just ahead of the New Hampshire Democratic primary and urged voters not to cast their ballots—using Mr. Biden’s digitally enhanced voice as the dubious messenger.
Lingo Telecom, a company particularly well-versed in the art of voice services, was brazen enough to distribute these AI-generated calls through what is charmingly referred to as “spoofed” phone numbers. As part of the fallout from this little fiasco, Lingo not only has to cough up a hefty fine but also must promise to play nice with the FCC’s basic rules on caller ID. One could say they are now on a “strict adherence” diet, with the FCC Chairwoman reminding them that the integrity of our democracy means voters deserve to know who they’re really talking to when the phone rings.
A Texas telecom firm Lingo Telecom faces a $1M fine for enabling a deep fake scam involving a fabricated recording of @POTUS ❗️
⚠️The @FCC flagged the company for neglecting to verify user identities.
Is this a wake-up call for tighter #telecom regulations❓ pic.twitter.com/ez7D7L6QzK
— TheNewsCrypto (@The_NewsCrypto) August 22, 2024
The mastermind behind this flabbergasting deepfake debacle is none other than Steve Kramer, a skilled Democratic operative who was working on Representative Dean Phillips’s campaign. Kramer insists that this was merely a stunt to highlight the potential dangers posed by such deceptive technology. That’s right—nothing like impersonating a sitting president to “raise awareness.” Of course, he claims he wasn’t instructed or encouraged by anyone on the Phillips team, but when your “stunt” bears striking resemblance to voter intimidation, it seems a bit too convenient.
This isn’t just a light slap on the wrist; Kramer is looking at a potential $6 million fine and a whopping 26 criminal charges for voter intimidation. Perhaps he thought he could get away with this under the guise of advocacy. Meanwhile, he’s found himself on the receiving end of a lawsuit from the League of Women Voters, which expresses concern about how such antics detract from genuine democratic engagement, illustrating a serious lack of judgment in the left’s handling of election integrity.
As election interference matters become increasingly critical, officials are sending a clear signal that deceptive technology and campaigning tactics will not be tolerated. Political leaders in New Hampshire are eager to ensure that what happened here becomes a cautionary tale, rather than the norm. With each passing day, the implications of AI technology continue to grow, and it seems the only clarity one can glean from this situation is that deepfakes really do have the potential to throw a wrench into the electoral process. Thanks to the FCC’s actions, businesses may think twice before dabbling in voter intimidation theatrics—even if it’s all just in the name of “raising awareness.”
