Legal actions increase over AI deepfakes in political campaigns
Axios · October 2, 2026Original source ↗

What happened
Rep. Derrick Van Orden received a cease-and-desist letter for posting an AI deepfake that misrepresented his Democratic opponent, Rebecca Cooke. This incident reflects a rise in legal complaints against candidates using AI-generated content in campaign ads.
Why it matters
The increasing use of AI deepfakes in politics raises concerns about misinformation and public trust in the electoral process.
How this story affects people
How does this story affect you if you are a voter in Wisconsin?
This incident directly impacts your perception of candidates and their campaigns, as the use of AI deepfakes raises concerns about misinformation. If candidates can manipulate content to misrepresent their opponents, it may undermine your trust in the electoral process and influence your voting decisions.
Read a briefing based on your profile
The breakdown above is the shared version, for kinds of people. In the app, Ripple uses your job, your city, and your family, then writes that part about you.
Download on the App Store3 free Ripples in total. Read without an account. iPhone · iOS 26.0+ · United States