Ministers of the Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE) met in Brasília to establish guidelines for artificial intelligence and deepfake use in the 2026 elections.
These measures are critical as synthetic media becomes more sophisticated, potentially threatening the integrity of democratic processes through automated misinformation.
President Kassio Nunes Marques and other TSE ministers met with representatives from big-tech companies on July 16, 2026 [2]. The discussions focused on combating fake news and managing the influence of AI during the upcoming electoral cycle [1]. To formalize these efforts, the TSE and the Advocacia-Geral da União (AGU) prepared a guide on best practices for AI use, which was scheduled for announcement on July 3, 2026 [3].
The initiative involves cooperation with the Observatório da Democracia and the AGU to ensure compliance with new electoral rules [2]. These rules specifically target the use of deepfakes, AI-generated media that can realistically mimic a person's appearance or voice, to prevent the spread of deceptive content [2].
The urgency of these guidelines was highlighted by real-world applications of the technology. A deepfake video featuring former President Jair Bolsonaro was released on July 25, 2026 [4]. This incident reignited debates regarding early electoral propaganda and the ability of the Superior Electoral Court to regulate synthetic content before the official campaign begins [4].
The TSE aims to create a framework that balances technological innovation with the need for transparency. By coordinating with tech platforms, the court seeks to establish faster reporting and removal mechanisms for content that violates electoral laws [1].
“TSE officials met in Brasília to draft a guide and cooperate with the AGU and civil society on the use of deepfake and AI technologies.”
Brazil's proactive approach signals a shift toward preemptive regulation of generative AI in politics. By integrating government legal bodies like the AGU with private tech platforms and civil society observers, the TSE is attempting to build a multi-layered defense against disinformation. This strategy suggests that the 2026 election will be a primary test case for whether judicial guidelines can effectively mitigate the impact of deepfakes in a high-polarization environment.
