The Local Government Association has released a series of free educational videos to help councillors and council officers identify and respond to the growing threat posed by deepfakes and synthetic media.

The videos cover key topics including defining misinformation and disinformation, explaining what deepfakes are and the role of AI in producing them, highlighting the main risks for local government, and offering practical steps to identify, mitigate and respond to threats. They also share anonymised examples of how synthetic media has already affected local democracy.

The series was developed by the LGA's Cyber, Digital and Technology team, drawing on evidence from a commissioned report, consultation across professional networks, and specialist insights on AI and emerging technologies.

The move follows an LGA survey finding that a third of respondents viewed deepfake-driven disinformation as a risk ‘to a great extent’ – second only to cyber security – while a further 37% saw it as a risk ‘to a moderate extent’.

Cllr Richard Clewer, chairman of the LGA’s Public Service Reform and Innovation Committee, said: ‘Synthetic media and deepfakes are no longer abstract technological concepts, but real risks which councils are already beginning to face.

‘This is particularly pertinent for elections and other future democratic engagement, where misinformation, disinformation and malinformation are likely to spread further.

‘This new video series developed by the LGA will help colleagues across local government build their understanding, strengthen their resilience and protect the integrity of local democracy.’

Check out: Fighting the Fakes: The battle against AI disinformation