TL;DR:
- AI-generated calls purportedly from President Biden discouraged participation in the New Hampshire primary.
- Investigation revealed Life Corporation, a Texas-based entity with a history of disinformation, as the source.
- Multiple agencies, including the FCC and state attorney general offices, swiftly intervened.
- Calls were traced to Lingo, a telecom provider known for illegal operations under various aliases.
- Life Corporation, owned by Walter Monk, has a documented history of unlawful activities.
- Cease and desist orders have been issued, and investigations are ongoing.
Main AI News:
The recent revelation of AI-generated calls purportedly from President Biden urging voters not to participate in the New Hampshire primary has stirred significant concern. Following an extensive investigation, the source of these calls has been traced back to Life Corporation, a Texas-based company with a history of disseminating disinformation.
Prompted by reports from the state attorney general of New Hampshire in mid-January, an inquiry into these attempts at voter suppression was promptly initiated. Further corroborated by press releases from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the FCC, it’s evident that multiple agencies swiftly intervened.
Evidently, the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, encompassing nationwide jurisdictions, was alerted upon the detection of the AI-generated Biden calls. Beyond mere robocalls, these instances constituted impersonation of the president and various other infractions.
The falsified Biden message, dismissing the New Hampshire primary as “a bunch of malarkey” and advising voters to “save your vote for the November election,” exemplifies the gravity of the situation. Investigators traced the calls to a dubious telecoms provider named Lingo, known under various aliases, including Americatel, BullsEyeComm, and Clear Choice Communications, among others. According to FCC records, this entity has a documented history of illegal call operations spanning several years.
Interestingly, Lingo was merely the conduit for the calls on behalf of Life Corporation, owned by Walter Monk, who is no stranger to unlawful activities. Notably, Life and Monk was previously cited by the FCC in 2003 for disseminating illegal prerecorded and unsolicited advertisements to residential lines.
Despite identifying the entities involved, this marks only the initial phase of legal proceedings. Both Life Corporation and Lingo have received cease and desist orders, yet potential charges loom on the horizon. Authorities are actively pursuing the matter, with New Hampshire’s attorney general’s office issuing document preservation notices and subpoenas for records pertinent to the ongoing investigation.
Conclusion:
The exposure of AI-generated Biden calls originating from a shady telecom and a Texas-based enterprise signifies a concerning trend of disinformation dissemination. This revelation underscores the critical need for heightened regulatory scrutiny and enforcement in the telecommunications sector to safeguard against similar instances of fraudulent activities impacting political processes and public trust.
