Pennsylvania sends warning to company allegedly behind fake Biden robocalls

CBS News Pittsburgh

HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- Pennsylvania's attorney general sent a warning to the company allegedly responsible for using artificial intelligence to impersonate President Joe Biden in robocalls to potential voters. 

The attorney general's office says the calls from Life Corporation contained inaccurate information about the upcoming election and discouraged potential voters from casting ballots in the New Hampshire primary. 

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, who is a member of the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, said Life Corp spoofed the calls to make them appear as if they were coming from legitimate New Hampshire political party official phone numbers. The task force is warning Life Corp's owner and executives to immediately stop all illegal call activity. 

"Robocalls are much more than mere nuisances. They can cause fear, alarm, and in these instances, misinformation that could sway potential voters," Henry said in a news release. "Our democracy is based on free and fair elections, and we cannot tolerate threats to those rights. Using A.I. to make these phone calls can be extremely dangerous as people will be more likely to trust who they hear on the other end of the line."

Henry said she also sent a letter last month to the Federal Communications Commission on behalf of 26 states urging the FCC to subject the use of A.I. in robocalls to existing laws. 

Henry said if Life Corp doesn't comply with the warning letter, it could be in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Truth in Caller ID Act and other state consumer protection laws. 

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