The Biden campaign is putting together a specialized task force that has been formed to counter what it considers manipulated portrayals of President Biden in online videos.
According to a staffer, who spoke with Politico, this initiative aims to “mitigate the risks” associated with these videos, which depict the president in various awkward or confusing situations.
Despite pushback on the Biden administration that the videos are actually accurate and have not been manipulated with AI, this move underscores a deepening concern within the Biden administration regarding the circulation of these clips on social media platforms, often highlighted as signs of the president’s deteriorating mental agility.
The issue gained traction following a press conference where White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized the media for distributing footage showing Biden in an unflattering light. Jean-Pierre labeled one such video, which showed former President Barack Obama assisting a seemingly bewildered Biden off a stage, as a “deepfake” and a “cheap fake video done in bad faith.”
Further incidents adding to the controversy include Biden’s peculiar behavior during a G7 summit and a Juneteenth event. In one instance, he was seen wandering away from a group of world leaders and in another, appearing disoriented among dancing attendees.
The campaign’s approach has sparked criticism from various quarters, accusing it of attempting to censor and control the narrative surrounding the president’s public appearances. Social media reactions have been sharply divided, with some users mocking the campaign’s efforts to label these videos as “cheap fakes” and questioning the integrity of the mainstream media’s coverage of these events.
Moreover, the campaign’s spokesperson, Mia Ehrenberg, stated that their goal is to ensure voters are well-informed and not misled by “manipulated” content. “Voters deserve accurate information to inform their choice this November, and our campaign will be vigilant in calling out these lies when we see them,” Ehrenberg affirmed.
The controversy surrounding the Biden campaign’s tactics to manage public perceptions through social media also echoes in broader legal battles, like the ongoing Murthy v. Missouri lawsuit which is currently at the Supreme Court. This case directly challenges the actions of the federal government, alleging overreach in its efforts to suppress free speech by influencing social media platforms to censor content, particularly critiques and discussions regarding the administration’s handling of public health and election integrity.
The lawsuit argues that such interventions by the Biden administration are unconstitutional, setting a critical legal precedent on the limits of governmental power in regulating digital discourse.
