Van Orden's AI videos draw rebuke from Democrats - WXOW

In early August 2024, Wisconsin Representative Derrick Van Orden began sharing a series of AI-generated videos targeting his Democratic challenger, Rebecca Cooke. The content, posted on his personal Facebook account, utilized synthetic media to depict Cooke while leveling various political accusations against her.

What happened

The videos, which featured themes from Van Orden’s campaign, characterized Cooke as being supported by Washington D.C. interests, criticized the timing of her personal finance disclosures, and labeled her a radical socialist. While Van Orden defended the use of the technology as a means to "set the record straight" regarding his opponent's background, the content drew significant backlash from both Cooke and local Democratic organizations.

Cooke characterized the content as "AI slop" intended to mislead voters, arguing that such tactics represent a form of political mudslinging that frustrates the electorate. The Eau Claire County Democratic Party formally condemned the posts, describing the synthetic depictions as manipulative, disturbing, and disrespectful.

While Wisconsin law requires that AI-generated audio or video be clearly identified as such within political advertisements, the legal status of Van Orden’s actions remains a point of contention. Because the videos were shared as personal Facebook posts rather than formal political advertisements, they currently fall outside the scope of those specific disclosure requirements. Despite the lack of an explicit legal violation, the incident highlights the growing controversy surrounding the use of synthetic media in electoral campaigns.