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One Nation’s Deputy Leader in Victoria Denies AI-Generated Video Is Racist

Nine.com.au

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One Nation’s deputy leader in Victoria has denied an AI-generated campaign video depicting an Indian driver, a young man of African descent with a machete and a Middle Eastern man wearing a suicide vest is racist.

Summary

This article highlights the increasing use of AI-generated content in Australian political campaigning and its potential to exacerbate social harms through the dissemination of racial stereotypes. The controversy surrounding One Nation's use of synthetic media to depict diverse ethnic groups in a negative light underscores growing concerns regarding the role of AI in spreading misinformation and fueling social polarization. While the incident does not directly involve frontier capability breakthroughs, it serves as a tangible example of the governance challenges posed by generative AI in a democratic electoral context. The report emphasizes the tension between political expression and the ethical deployment of AI tools within the Australian policy landscape.

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sharesShare articleOne Nation’s deputy leader in Victoria has denied an AI-generated campaign video depicting an Indian driver, a young man of African descent with a machete and a Middle Eastern man wearing a suicide vest is racist.The ad was released at the party’s campaign launch in Victoria last month and was shared and endorsed by party leader Pauline Hanson on Facebook.One Nation candidate Colleen Harkin speaks to the party faithful at the Victorian State campaign launch on October 3. Chris Hopkins/The AgeAdvertisementIt has not appeared on television.The clip depicts a range of people “coming out” as conservative and a variety of racial and cultural stereotypes.Colleen Harkin, the party’s deputy leader in Victoria, told Raf Epstein on ABC Melbourne radio the video was not racist.“Well I am not accepting that it is racist,” Harkin said.“It’s a messaging issued out to people the general view about all the things that are going wrong with Australia and what needs to fix them.”Harkin, a former member of the Liberal Party and the director of education at the conservative think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs, said she believed Victorians agreed there were problems with crime and social cohesion.Read moreMinns dares One Nation to stand up policies in pre-election rule change“It is big issues that need to be addressed,” she said.AdvertisementEpstein countered that “judging people based on the group they are part of rather than who they are as an individual” was the “definition of prejudice”.“But would you complain if it was a white-skinned person or a female with blonde hair?” Harkin said.When Epstein pointed out the only white people in the clip were those voting for One Nation, Harkin responded: “So?”When Epstein listed a variety of Hanson’s comments about Muslim Australians and Islam, she said the issue was with radical Islam.AdvertisementAdvertisementOne Nation leader Pauline Hanson (left) unveils the party’s first group of candidates including Colleen Harkin (centre) in August. Eamon Gallagher/AFR"Radical Islam is a problem for Australia and I don't think many people would disagree with that," she said.She said Muslims should stand up to other Muslims radicalising young people and “do it louder”.Contact usrightArrowShare a tip-off, video or photo with usTwo Carlton players hospitalised in Melbourne in separate incidents‘I won’t recover’: Stewart, 62, has been riding for most of his life. Deadly potholes may force him to stopTeenager charged after woman hit by car near Melbourne Marathon route‘Very traumatic’: Family of teen fighting for life after botched arson attack issues warning