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Check the campaign’s factual assertion against evidence, preferably primary records, and assess any accompanying audio, image, or video separately. A detector score, visual “tell,” or AI answer cannot establish either that a claim is true or that a recording is authentic.
Start by separating the two questions
A campaign item can contain a factual claim and media that purports to show the person making it. Verify these independently:
- Is the underlying assertion accurate? For example, did a candidate vote for a particular bill, or does a stated election deadline match the official rules?
- Is this particular recording authentic and presented in context? A clip may be edited or fabricated; even authentic footage may omit context. Conversely, questionable-looking media does not by itself disprove the claim it contains.
FactCheck.org’s process emphasizes examining evidence for the assertion, while Brennan Center guidance discusses the limits of media-authenticity checks. Neither question should be decided by a tool or rating alone. FactCheck.org’s process; Brennan Center guidance on AI-generated election misinformation.
Verify the factual claim
1. Preserve the original and record its context
Save the ad, post, clip, or transcript. Record the exact wording, speaker, date, venue, and surrounding context, along with the source link. Note whether you found an original upload, a repost, an excerpt, or a screenshot. A screenshot or short clip may leave out details needed to identify what is actually being asserted.
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2. Turn the claim into a testable question
Identify the specific assertion, the time period and jurisdiction it concerns, and what evidence could confirm or contradict it. “The candidate supported this law” is too vague until you identify the law and what “supported” means: a vote, a public statement, sponsorship, or something else. Keep claims about what someone said or did distinct from whether a circulating recording accurately captures it.
3. Ask the campaign for its evidence
Look for the claim-maker’s explanation and the records it cites. FactCheck.org says it attempts to engage the person or organization being checked and places the burden of support on the claim-maker. As its published process puts it, “The burden is on the person or organization making the claim to provide the evidence to support it.” Treat a campaign’s explanation as something to inspect, not as the final authority: follow its citations to the underlying records.
4. Check the primary record
Use the source closest to the event or data: legislation and roll-call votes for claims about laws and voting records; government datasets for public statistics; court records for legal proceedings; official transcripts for remarks; filings for reported disclosures; and the original study for a research claim. FactCheck.org describes using primary sources and nonpartisan government agencies for expertise and analysis. Apply the same standard regardless of party.
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5. Read independent fact-checks for context
Search reputable fact-checking organizations for the exact wording and distinctive phrases. Brennan Center guidance points readers toward credible independent fact-checkers, including organizations verified by the International Fact-Checking Network. Read the explanation and inspect its linked sources; a rating alone does not tell you whether the check addressed the same wording, date, or jurisdiction as the campaign claim. Brennan Center guidance.
For voting rules, verify with election officials
Registration, eligibility, deadlines, voting hours, and polling places depend on the relevant jurisdiction and election. Go to the state or local election office responsible for the voter’s address rather than relying on a campaign post, forwarded graphic, chatbot, or AI-generated answer. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission warns that voting dates, hours, and locations require greater accuracy than many AI tools can currently provide; a joint FBI/CISA advisory also recommends verifying election claims through state and local officials. Election Assistance Commission guidance on AI and elections; FBI/CISA election advisory.
Use the official office’s current information for the specific election, and check that the address and dates match the voter’s jurisdiction. If an answer conflicts with an official source, contact the responsible election office rather than guessing which version is right.
Assess whether audio, images, or video are authentic
Look for the earliest available upload and corroborating coverage, transcripts, or records. Check whether the clip is complete and whether other reliable sources document the same event or statement. Platform disclosures and content-provenance credentials can provide useful context, but they are not proof on their own. Missing provenance does not establish that media is genuine or fake. Brennan Center guidance on media verification.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhy detector results are not a verdict
Deepfake detectors have limited accuracy, and Brennan Center guidance cautions that their effectiveness can decline as generation tools improve. If you consult one, prefer a tool that explains its confidence result and discloses error risks. Then seek corroboration independent of the detector. Obvious visual anomalies can be a reason to investigate further, but a fake need not have visible flaws, and a visual anomaly alone does not settle authenticity.
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Use AI answers only as leads
AI chatbots and search tools can make errors when answering election questions and have weaknesses in identifying generated media. Treat an AI response as a pointer to a source, not as evidence. Open the cited official record or independent fact-check and confirm that it actually supports the answer. Brennan Center guidance; Brennan Center’s 2026 analysis.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare sources before reaching a conclusion
When several sources address the same claim, compare them using these practical criteria. They are useful checks, not a formal scoring standard:
- Authority: Is it a primary record, the official agency responsible for the matter, or a secondary account?
- Independence: Is it separate from the campaign making the claim?
- Specificity: Does it support the exact wording, date, and jurisdiction at issue?
- Transparency: Can you inspect the evidence and method behind the conclusion?
- Recency: Is the record current for the relevant election?
- For media tools: Are error limits disclosed, and can another source independently check the result?
These criteria reflect the fact-checking and voter guidance from FactCheck.org, the Brennan Center, and the Election Assistance Commission.
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Write a conclusion that matches the evidence
State what the evidence supports, what it contradicts, what is missing, and what remains uncertain. Identify the date of the records or guidance you relied on. If the factual claim is supported but the clip’s origin is unverified, say so; do not let uncertainty about the recording silently become a verdict on the claim, or vice versa. Verify independently before sharing, particularly when the claim is emotionally charged or could affect voting.
What the FEC’s 2024 action does—and does not—establish
For U.S. federal campaign ads, the Federal Election Commission reported that on September 19, 2024, it voted not to open an AI-specific rulemaking and instead adopted an interpretive rule explaining how existing fraudulent-misrepresentation regulations apply. The FEC said, “The statute, and the Commission’s implementing regulation, is technology neutral.” The action concerned application of existing law to AI-assisted media in circumstances specified by law; it did not create a general federal AI-ad disclosure rule. This is not a complete account of state disclosure requirements or every law that may apply. Check current rules for the relevant jurisdiction before drawing a legal conclusion. Federal Election Commission, September 2024 interpretive rule.
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