The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched a new series of educational videos aimed at helping councillors and council officers identify and respond to the growing risks posed by deepfakes and other forms of AI‑generated synthetic media.

Deepfakes are increasingly being recognised as a serious threat to local authorities, particularly in the context of public trust, democratic engagement and elections. The LGA’s 2025 survey on AI use in councils found that one in three respondents viewed deepfake‑driven disinformation as a risk “to a great extent” – second only to cyber security. A further 37 per cent said it posed a risk “to a moderate extent”