CARTOON BY: AARON PAUL C. CARIL
EDITORIAL
Digging deep: Finding a candidate’s real persona
in the age of deepfakes
Social media played a crucial role in Rodrigo Duterte’s and Bongbong Marcos’s victories in the 2016 and 2022 presidential elections.
Observers note that Duterte’s 2016 campaign was one of the first in the Philippines to leverage social media heavily. His team used platforms like Facebook to reach a wider audience. They created engaging content, including memes and viral videos, which resonated with younger voters. Duterte’s campaign also benefited from a strong base of social media-savvy supporters who actively shared and promoted his messages. This grassroots approach allowed him to connect with voters more personally and directly, bypassing traditional media channels.
Bongbong Marcos’ campaign in 2022 also saw a significant use of social media, particularly TikTok. His team created content that glorified his father’s legacy and portrayed a positive image of the Marcos family. This included videos that downplayed the human rights abuses and corruption associated with his father’s regime. Marcos’ campaign also utilized influencers and social media personalities to spread their message and counteract negative narratives. The widespread use of social media allowed Marcos to reach a large audience and shape public perception in his favor.
In both cases, social media provided a platform for the candidates to bypass traditional media, engage directly with voters, and create a narrative that resonated with their target audience. This strategy proved to be highly effective in both elections.
In this May 2025 midterm election, artificial intelligence (AI) poses a greater risk of disinformation as deepfakes dominate social media platforms. A candidate who wishes to project an image of being pro-people or makatao at makamasa to solicit votes from the masses can create visually appealing images showing him at community and charity events and engaging with diverse groups of people even though he shuns such public engagements.
AI can also generate personalized content for social media platforms, including the latest fads, such as memes, graphics, and videos, designed to resonate with different voter demographics, making the candidate appear more relatable and appealing. With AI at the helm of content creation and distribution in online platforms, candidates can maintain and engage online presence.
In the past, candidates with the gift of gab easily won elections. President Manuel L. Quezon, Jose P. Laurel, and Ferdinand Marcos, to name some, enamored voters with their speaking abilities. Today, the less gifted have equal chances. AI can prepare powerful speeches and train candidates to deliver them effectively.
AI can analyze vast data to predict voter behavior and identify key issues that resonate with different voter groups. Campaigns can use this information to tailor their messages and focus their efforts on the most impactful areas. This strategic approach can help candidates appear more in tune with voters’ concerns and needs.
The most troublesome AI capabilities are its ability to create misinformation and deepfakes. Deepfake technology can generate realistic videos and audio recordings of candidates saying or doing things they haven’t actually done. This can damage opponents’ reputations and create a false narrative about a candidate’s character or actions. In Bohol’s local politics, one veteran politician warns the public of a fake account spreading false information about him.
As we approach the May 2025 election, the rise of deepfakes presents an unprecedented challenge to the integrity of our democratic process. We must remain vigilant, question the authenticity of what we see and hear, and demand transparency from candidates. By prioritizing critical thinking and media literacy, we can ensure our choices are based on truth rather than deception. Together, let’s commit to a fair and honest election, digging deep to uncover the genuine stories behind each candidate and safeguarding the future of our democracy.