College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom is facing the fallout of a viral fake image on Facebook that falsely depicted her kissing a man who was not her husband.
The Spread and Impact of AI-Generated Smears
The altered image of Motley Broom shows how accessible digital fabrication has become. Six years ago, generating a convincing compromising photo of an elected official required rudimentary image-editing skills. Today, a simple computer prompt to an artificial intelligence generator is all it takes. According to Motley Broom, the attack was likely orchestrated by political opponents opposed to her past role as president of the Georgia Municipal Association. “I think this is a sad commentary about where we are in our democracy, and where we are in our political discourse,” Motley Broom said, adding that the fabrication “seeks to reinforce really tired stereotypes about women in leadership.” Despite the vitriol, she confirmed she will not be deterred by internet trolls.
Public Anxiety Outstrips Economic Concerns
Voter apprehension regarding artificial intelligence centers heavily on election interference and the non-consensual sexualization of individuals. A mid-June poll conducted by digital marketing agency Rad Campaign and advocacy group Women Who Tech revealed that 71% of respondents worry about AI-driven disinformation impacting elections. Two in three respondents expressed concern over AI being used to sexualize women. Allyson Kapin, founder of Rad Campaign and co-founder of Women Who Tech, noted that public anxiety regarding deepfakes and election disinformation outstrips concerns about AI affecting jobs by a margin of three to one.
High-Profile Incidents Involving Federal Officials
Political figures across the ideological spectrum have found themselves targeted by manipulated media. In January, the official White House account on X posted a digitally altered image of Nekima Levy Armstrong, who was arrested during a demonstration that disrupted church services in St. Paul, Minnesota. The original photograph of Armstrong being calmly escorted by a Department of Homeland Security agent was modified to make her appear as though she were crying, with darkened skin. White House deputy communications director Kaelan Dorr later characterized the image as a “meme.” Similarly, fake images of Zohran Mamdami, New York’s mayor, began circulating on X in February from a parody account, falsely depicting him and his mother alongside the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Reuters debunked those images using Google’s SynthID tool after they had already been widely recirculated.
Legislative Battles and Regulatory Pushback
Federal and state lawmakers are grappling with how to regulate rapidly advancing AI technology without violating First Amendment protections. Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock warned in a Facebook video that deepfake technology is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction, pointing to fabricated online images that falsely depicted him with health problems, a full head of hair, and grandchildren he does not possess. Warnock is part of a Senate Democratic group war-gaming election interference scenarios. Meanwhile, outgoing US senator John Kennedy introduced a bill requiring AI firms to install a kill switch for rogue artificial intelligence, though Senator Rand Paul blocked the measure, arguing it needed more industry input. At the state level, Tennessee enacted the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act—known as the Elvis Act—to protect residents and politicians from digital likeness replication. While Georgia lawmakers discussed deepfake protections in 2024 and 2025, the state has yet to pass similar legislation.
AI deepfakes and Georgia laws regarding politician likeness
- What happened to Mayor Bianca Motley Broom? An AI-generated fake image circulated on Facebook falsely showing her kissing a man who was not her husband.
- What do polls show about public concern over AI? A mid-June poll by Rad Campaign and Women Who Tech found that 71% of respondents worry about AI deepfakes affecting elections, outpacing worries about job losses.
- Are there laws protecting politicians from deepfakes in Georgia? No. While state lawmakers debated deepfake legislation in recent years, Georgia has not yet enacted laws regulating AI likeness manipulation.
- How did federal officials respond to the threat? Lawmakers like Senator Raphael Warnock have warned about the dangers of election disinformation, while others, such as Senator John Kennedy, have introduced bills to regulate AI companies.
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