The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered political consultant Steve Cramer to pay the full recommended amount for a series of illegal robocalls and caller ID spoofing using deepfake AI technology during the New Hampshire primary. The fine was duly issued. Kramer must pay a $6 million fine within the next 30 days, or the Department of Justice will collect the fine, the FCC said in a statement.
Legislative records say Kramer violated the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, which states that “a person who uses misleading information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or fraudulently obtain anything of value.” “Intentionally transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information is prohibited.” Although the law was enacted before the widespread use of AI, the FCC unanimously voted in February to apply the law to such deepfakes.
A fake robocall used deepfake AI technology to deliver pre-recorded audio of President Biden’s voice to New Hampshire residents in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential primary. CBS New York previously reported that fake President Biden told voters not to vote in the upcoming primary, saying, “Your vote will make a difference in November, not this Tuesday.” According to the New York Times, the robocalls were disguised to appear to come from the former chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
Kramer hired New Orleans magician (or, really, magician) Paul Carpenter to create a fake recording. Carpenter showed NBC News how he created a deepfake audio file of President Biden using an AI voice generator called Eleven Labs. He said the recording took only about 20 minutes. Carpenter said Cramer was paid through Venmo and believed the work he was doing was authorized by President Biden’s campaign. Eleven Labs subsequently closed Carpenter’s account.
Kramer claims he sent the robocalls to raise awareness about the dangers and abuses of technology. His apparent experiment cost only $500, but according to political consultants, it brought in huge profits. “It’s not for me to do it and get $5 million worth of exposure, it’s not for me,” Kramer told CBS New York. “I stayed anonymous because the regulations could have an impact or start having an impact. I don’t need to be famous. That’s not my intention. It was about making a difference.”
In addition to facing a hefty fine from the FCC, Kramer also faces criminal charges. New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella announced last May that Mr. Kramer had been charged with 13 felony counts of voter suppression and 13 misdemeanor counts of impersonating a candidate.
