November 02, Colombo (LNW): The growing influence of social media and artificial intelligence-generated misinformation is creating fresh challenges for electoral integrity in Sri Lanka, prompting calls for greater cooperation among political parties, election monitoring organisations, media institutions and technology companies.
People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi has stressed the need for a collective response to the increasing circulation of misleading political content, warning that false information spreading through online platforms could influence voter perceptions and undermine confidence in the electoral process.
Speaking at a forum organised by Democracy Reporting International, Hettiarachchi said the issue required serious attention from all parties concerned, particularly as social media had become an increasingly influential source of political information.
While acknowledging the difficulties involved in regulating online platforms, he argued that appropriate safeguards were necessary to prevent fabricated and misleading material from circulating unchecked.
Research presented by Democracy Reporting International has also highlighted several emerging risks to Sri Lanka’s democratic process, particularly the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to produce deceptive electoral content.
The findings identified three major concerns: voters being exposed to AI-generated misinformation, independent media organisations having limited resources to identify and correct such material, and the possibility of misleading information influencing electoral choices.
The study also examined the accuracy of information provided by four widely used artificial intelligence platforms during the local government election period. It found that all four systems produced varying levels of incomplete or misleading responses when dealing with election-related questions.
Gemini recorded the lowest proportion of answers classified as false or misleading, at 10.4 per cent. Copilot followed with 16.7 per cent, while ChatGPT recorded 18.8 per cent. DeepSeek had the highest figure, with 35.4 per cent of its responses falling into the same category.
These findings have raised concerns about the reliability of AI tools as sources of electoral information, particularly among younger voters who increasingly rely on digital platforms to understand political developments, candidates and party policies.
The report also drew attention to continued political campaigning during legally stipulated campaign silence periods. Its examination of online activity during the 2024 Presidential Election found that promotional and negative political content continued to circulate despite restrictions on campaigning during the final 48 hours before polling.
According to the research, campaign-related posts, including material promoting or criticising candidates and political parties, accounted for 38.6 per cent of the content examined during the restricted period. The study identified 97 posts involving political promotion and campaigning, while another 45 contained political commentary, analysis and predictions.
The investigation further uncovered concerns surrounding the financing of political advertisements on digital platforms. Payments for such advertisements had reportedly been made using 30 different currencies, with transactions involving various international and non-local payment arrangements.
The researchers questioned whether all advertisers targeting Sri Lankan audiences had been properly authorised under the platforms’ respective advertising policies and local requirements.
The findings underline the growing complexity of monitoring election-related activities in an increasingly digital political environment. Beyond traditional campaigning, authorities and election observers must now contend with AI-generated content, online advertising networks and the rapid circulation of unverified claims.
The report has therefore reinforced the need for stronger monitoring arrangements, improved digital literacy and closer collaboration between election watchdogs, independent journalists and technology companies to protect voters’ access to accurate information.
With digital platforms playing an increasingly central role in political communication, ensuring transparency and accountability online is likely to remain a major challenge for Sri Lanka’s future elections.
