Meta to start labelling AI-generated video, audio and image content

Facebook and Instagram giant Meta on Friday (Apr 5) said it will begin labeling AI-generated media beginning in May

Facebook and Instagram giant Meta on Friday (Apr 5) said it will begin labeling AI-generated media beginning in May, as it tries to reassure users and governments over the risks of deepfakes.

The social media juggernaut added that it will no longer remove manipulated images and audio that don't otherwise break its rules, relying instead on labelling and contextualization, to not infringe on freedom of speech.

The changes come as a response to criticism from the tech giant's oversight board, which independently reviews Meta's content moderation decisions.

The board in February requested that Meta urgently overhaul its approach to manipulated media given the huge advances in AI and the ease of manipulating media into highly convincing deepfakes.

The board's warning came amid fears of rampant misuse of artificial intelligence-powered applications for disinformation on platforms in a pivotal election year not only in the United States but worldwide.

Meta's new "Made with AI" labels will identify content created or altered with AI, including video, audio, and images. Additionally, a more prominent label will be used for content deemed at high risk of misleading the public.