The BaseNewsThe Guardian
Opposition deepfake video sparks outrage in Spain ahead of election
The Guardian reports that Spain's main opposition party, the People's party, ran a political ad with AI-manipulated likenesses of people linked to Pedro Sánchez's Socialist party, including the prime minister's wife, appearing to admit to wrongdoing. The ad caused outrage and a wider debate ahead of next month's general election.
Why it matters
The same thing, for different readers.
What it means for you
A major Spanish party's election ad used AI-made videos of real people appearing to admit to wrongdoing, which voters could mistake for real footage.
For lawmakers
The People's party ad shows a mainstream party using deepfakes of named people weeks before a general election, a test for election and advertising rules.
The question it raises
A political party putting words in real people's mouths with AI raises questions of consent, truth and fair democratic debate.
The record
- Questions
- How is AI changing childhood, health and daily life? · Who can demand evidence, delay a release or stop an unsafe deployment?
- People
- Ashifa Kassam (Wrote it) · Pedro Sánchez (Mentioned, Prime minister of Spain)
- What we read
- We have read only the description the publisher gives. No quotations until someone reads the source itself.
- Found by
- The Radar, run of October 24, 2026, via
the-guardian-ai(tier 2: a major outlet’s own reporting) - Cite this
- The Guardian, “Opposition deepfake video sparks outrage in Spain ahead of election”, October 23, 2026. Entry in the Ctrl AI Base, https://ctrlai.com/base/guardian-2026-10-23-spain-pp-deepfake-ad