Deepfake Video of Opposition Causes Outrage in Spain Before Upcoming Election

A recent political advertisement from Spain’s **People’s Party** (PP), the primary opposition party, has ignited significant controversy due to its use of a deepfake video featuring the wife of Prime Minister **Pedro Sánchez**. With general elections approaching next month, this incident has triggered a broader discourse surrounding the implications of artificial intelligence in political campaigning.

Released this week on the PP’s social media platforms, the video employs AI to manipulate the images of several prominent figures associated with **Sánchez’s Socialist Party**. It seemingly portrays them confessing to dubious activities, including soliciting prostitution and accepting bribes. Notably, a digital rendition of **Begoña Gómez**, Sánchez’s wife, is depicted discussing her acceptance of a university position attributed to her husband’s influence, while a deepfake of former Socialist President **José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero** addresses concealing valuable items in a safe. Both statements reference ongoing investigations that neither Gómez nor Zapatero has admitted to.

The Socialist Party quickly condemned the advertisement, which had garnered nearly 2 million views by Friday. **Óscar López**, Spain’s digital transformation minister, expressed his outrage, characterizing the video as a “colossal lie.” He emphasized that for an official political account to disseminate such content is intolerable.

While the video did contain a disclaimer indicating it was AI-generated, the small font led López to warn of the dangers of misinformation, stating, “It’s easy for those unfamiliar with AI to mistake this video for reality, and that’s extremely serious.”

On the same day, **Leire Díez**, a former member of the Socialist Party whose likeness appeared in the video, initiated legal action against the PP, demanding the removal of the advertisement. Her complaint alleges defamation and identity theft, citing that the video insinuated her involvement in subverting the judicial system to benefit the Socialists.

A number of legal experts consulted by **El País** acknowledged that the PP’s actions may not constitute a legal violation, given the video’s clear labeling as AI-generated and its context of political satire. However, **Juan Antonio Lascuraín**, a criminal law professor at the **Autonomous University of Madrid**, prompted further reflection: “While legalities are one thing, the appropriateness and ethical implications are entirely different matters.”

Many observers highlighted this incident within the context of a broader global initiative to combat disinformation. **José Javier Olivas**, an associate professor at Spain’s **National University for Distance Education**, criticized the use of deepfakes by a party that claims to uphold democratic values, labeling the video as crossing a “red line” in campaign strategies.

“You’re using the images of other people, putting words in their mouths that they aren’t saying, which qualifies as disinformation,” Olivas asserted.

The conversation surrounding AI in political advertising is not isolated to Spain; it is also gaining traction in the U.S. ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. A recent study from **Wesleyan University** revealed over 200 AI-infused ads, predominantly associated with Republican campaigns—a stark contrast to the previous cycle, which recorded under $50,000 in such expenditure. **Erika Franklin Fowler**, a project co-director, stressed the growing presence of AI in political advertising.

In response to the backlash, the PP has defended its approach. **Borja Sémper**, a party representative, asserted that there was no intent to mislead viewers into believing the deepfake content was genuine. He framed it as a digital tool to expose perceived hypocritical actions by the Socialist Party.

Current polls indicate that the PP is poised to win the general election set for **November 29** but may require the support of the far-right **Vox Party** to establish a government.