Use of Deepfakes in Political Surveillance and Disinformation

The rise of deepfake technology—synthetic media generated using artificial intelligence—poses unprecedented challenges to democratic institutions, legal frameworks, and human rights. This paper critically examines the dual role of deepfakes in political surveillance and disinformation campaigns, highlighting their potential to undermine electoral integrity, infringe privacy, and erode public trust in factual communication. Through a comparative legal analysis of responses in the European Union, United States, and India, the paper identifies substantial regulatory gaps and the ethical dilemmas posed by AI-generated deception. It explores how courts are beginning to confront issues related to synthetic evidence, privacy rights, and platform accountability, while proposing a forward-looking framework grounded in transparency, consent, and cross-border enforcement. Ultimately, this study advocates for a rights-based, interdisciplinary approach to mitigate the legal and democratic harms of deepfake misuse in political contexts.