Government Urged to Regulate Deepfakes Before Voters Accidentally Elect a Talking Toaster
In an unprecedented yet oddly believable twist, Australian independents David Pocock and Kate Chaney have ramped up pressure on the government to take immediate action against the unholy alliance of deepfakes, disinformation, and what they ominously call “foreign interference.” Apparently, the biggest electoral threat isn’t dodgy campaign posters—it’s a hyper-realistic AI-generated video of Anthony Albanese announcing that his official 2025 campaign slogan is “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
“Frankly, this technology is terrifying,” Pocock stated in a stern letter to the Prime Minister. “It’s only a matter of time before someone deepfakes Peter Dutton’s face onto a puppy commercial, and the next thing you know, we’ve got an adorable authoritarian in power.”
The Australian Electoral Commission has chimed in with their own barely veiled panic attack, warning that AI is chewing through democracy like a toddler with a bag of gummy bears. “We’re not saying you’ll see a video of a kangaroo endorsing the Greens, but we’re also not *not* saying it,” an AEC spokesperson reported. “This level of disinformation could mean goodbye candidate debates and hello CGI brawls featuring politicians riding emus into battle.”
In response, Pocock and Chaney are demanding immediate legislation to tackle the crumbling concept of “truth in political advertising,” arguing that, shockingly, candidates should not be allowed to claim they can lower taxes by planting money trees. “If I wanted fiction, I’d rewatch *Mad Max,* not read campaign leaflets,” Chaney said at a press conference.
Critics, however, are skeptical. “Do we really need laws against political lies?” mused an anonymous political strategist. “That’s sort of like banning alcohol at the pub—it defeats the whole purpose!” Instead, some suggest leaning into AI chaos, turning elections into a free-for-all where the winner is crowned based on the number of memes generated featuring their face on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s body.
Meanwhile, tech experts caution against expecting too much from AI regulations. “Even if you outlaw deepfakes, you’ll still have an internet full of conspiracy theorists posting grainy Photoshop pics of Mark Zuckerberg as an undercover lizard overlord,” said Dr. Jenna Bytez, a professor of Digital Realities. Bytez added, “Besides, deepfakes have already been flagged as more trustworthy than certain actual news outlets. So, who’s really winning here?”
As we creep ever closer to elections that may well be decided by TikTok and viral holograms, the national conversation is heating up. “Honestly, this new tech could make politics fun again,” said one apathetic millennial. “I’d totally vote if I thought the debates would feature deepfake Bob Hawke arguing with actual ChatGPT.”
The PM’s office has yet to comment on the issue, possibly awaiting legal advice, tech briefings, or, you know, a Terminator cameo to sort it all out.
In the meantime, brace yourselves, Australia. Because at this rate, we might wake up one day to find our next Prime Minister is nothing more than an AI-powered toaster promising to make democracy “extra crispy.”
