The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) issued a stark warning against using AI chatbots for voting advice, after research revealed that the systems frequently deliver distorted and biased recommendations ahead of the Netherlands’ October 29 parliamentary elections.
According to the AP’s findings, four popular chatbots produced strikingly similar outcomes when asked for voting guidance, disproportionately recommending just two political parties — the PVV and GroenLinks-PvdA — in over 56 percent of cases. One chatbot favored those same parties more than 80 percent of the time. Other parties, including D66, SP, VVD, and PvdD, appeared far less frequently, while groups like BBB, CDA, SGP, and DENK were almost never mentioned, even when their platforms matched users’ stated preferences.
“Chatbots may seem like clever tools, but as a voting aid, they consistently fail,” said Monique Verdier, vice-chair of the AP. “Voters may unknowingly be steered toward parties that do not best reflect their views. This undermines a cornerstone of democracy — the integrity of free and fair elections.”
Unlike verified voting tools such as Kieskompas and StemWijzer, which transparently analyze political party positions, chatbots rely on opaque algorithms and unverifiable internet data. The AP concluded that these systems, designed for general conversation rather than political accuracy, present a distorted picture of the political landscape.
The authority stressed that while AI systems can improve accessibility to election information, they are currently unsuitable as voting aids. The AP said any AI tool providing electoral advice should meet the European Union’s strict transparency and accountability requirements for high-risk systems under the forthcoming AI Regulation.
The agency urged chatbot developers to ensure their systems are not misused in ways that could influence voters or compromise democratic processes.
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