Irish presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has formally lodged a complaint with the Electoral Commission, citing a “malicious deep-fake” video. The action highlights growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in political campaigns, as Connolly alleges the video was fabricated to deceive.

Late Tuesday, a video surfaced online featuring an AI-fabricated version of Connolly, purportedly announcing her withdrawal from Friday’s upcoming election.

Connolly delivered a scathing assessment of the video, branding it a “disgraceful attempt to mislead voters and undermine our democracy.”

The independent member of the Irish parliament has unequivocally affirmed her commitment to the race for the 10th presidency of Ireland. In a statement, the unaligned TD declared she remains “absolutely” a candidate for the nation’s highest office.

She branded the maneuver a “deplorable attempt,” asserting it was engineered to mislead the electorate and erode the pillars of democracy.

Dismissing any potential distractions, the candidate has affirmed their unwavering commitment to a comprehensive statewide campaign. They plan to continue their county-by-county outreach, directly engaging with voters to champion their vision for a hopeful and inclusive presidency.

She further advised the public to refrain from sharing the video if they encountered it, urging them instead to report the content. She underscored that the most effective and assured counter to falsehoods and misinformation ultimately lies in the power of the vote.

Connolly’s campaign team has confirmed it lodged a formal complaint regarding the video with the social media platforms where it was disseminated.

They have urgently called for its swift removal and outright denunciation as a fabrication.

Alan Smeaton, an emeritus professor of computing at Dublin City University and a prominent member of the Irish government’s AI Advisory Council, informed BBC Verify that the video’s true nature was betrayed by a few “minuscule clues.”

Observations indicated a minor over-articulation in the vocal delivery of both Catherine Connolly and the RTÉ reporter.

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Concise):**
An observer noted a “slight aura” around the news reporter in the third shot, speculating that a dynamic background was likely the cause.

**Option 2 (Slightly more descriptive):**
Commenting on the footage, an individual highlighted a subtle visual effect, described as a “slight aura,” encircling the news reporter during the third take, which they attributed to the active background.

**Option 3 (Focus on the explanation):**
The speaker pointed out a faint glow around the news correspondent in the third shot, suggesting this optical effect probably stemmed from the moving visuals in the background.

**Option 4 (Formal):**
During the third camera sequence, a luminous outline was reportedly visible around the news anchor. This phenomenon, he hypothesized, was likely a consequence of the dynamic backdrop.

The claim circulating that the election has been cancelled and Heather Humphries has won by default is highly misleading. This assertion runs counter to the publicly known fact that while Jim Gavin withdrew from active campaigning weeks ago, his name will still appear on the ballot paper, meaning the election will proceed as scheduled.

Here are a few ways to paraphrase the statement, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

* He **asserted** that social media platforms **bear significant responsibility** for various issues.
* He **contended** that social media platforms **face serious questions** regarding their role and impact.
* The individual **stressed** that social media platforms **have much to account for**, given their widespread influence.
* He **highlighted the view** that social media platforms **must provide answers for the extensive consequences of their operations.**
* He **underscored** that social media platforms **are deeply implicated in a range of problems and must be held to account.**

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Concise and Direct):**
“The current strategy of reactively removing problematic videos, often hours or days after they’ve been posted, is demonstrably failing to contain their spread.”

**Option 2 (Emphasizing the futility):**
“Efforts to curb harmful content through delayed video takedowns, regardless of how quickly they occur, are proving largely ineffective.”

**Option 3 (Focus on the strategic flaw):**
“A reactive approach to content moderation, where videos are removed only after significant time has passed, has consistently failed to address the core problem.”

**Option 4 (Slightly more formal):**
“The incremental removal of such videos, whether an hour or a week after their initial appearance, is proving to be an unsustainable and ineffective strategy.”

Since 2016, Connolly has held the independent Teachta Dála (TD) seat for the Galway West constituency.

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

* She previously held the position of deputy speaker in the Dáil, Ireland’s parliament, located in Dublin.
* Her prior experience includes serving as deputy speaker of the Dáil, the national parliament of Ireland, based in Dublin.
* Before this, she served as deputy speaker of the Dáil, the Irish legislature situated in Dublin.
* She formerly occupied the role of deputy speaker within the Dáil, Ireland’s parliament in Dublin.

She resigned from the Irish Labour Party in 2007, a departure prompted by the party’s refusal to allow her to run as a candidate alongside Michael D Higgins in that year’s general election.

Connolly’s bid for the Irish presidency is gaining momentum, fortified by the backing of several left-leaning political parties and a notable array of independent figures.