Raman Campaign Files Ethics Complaint Over AI-Powered Attack Ads

Nithya Raman’s campaign has filed an ethics complaint against the political group Thrive LA, alleging multiple disclosure violations related to a series of attack ads that mock the mayoral candidate's record on homelessness. The complaint, filed Sunday, targets advertisements that include fake real estate signs, a dilapidated RV, and an AI-generated phone line designed to impersonate Raman.

Thrive LA has denied wrongdoing, characterizing the campaign as political satire and stating that its spending and advertising have been disclosed through the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. "They wouldn’t have known it was us if we hadn’t put the disclosure," said Thrive executive director Ana Teresa Dahan, adding that the group had to be "scrappy" due to its size.

The campaign's complaint focuses on several aspects of Thrive LA’s advertising. The mock real estate ads, which use the fictional name "Nithya Raman Realty," feature slogans such as "We got A Tent to Give You!" and warnings of "Needles, Crime, Tents, Zero Accountability." One sign explicitly advertises a "Designated Poop Zone."

A more significant concern for Raman's campaign is an AI-generated phone line used in the ads. This automated voice, impersonating Raman, engages callers in a conversation about homelessness, asking questions and prompting responses without clearly identifying itself as an advertisement or disclosing its sponsor. The Raman campaign argues that callers should not have to inquire about the source to learn they are listening to political advertising.

The complaint also points to a network of Instagram accounts, including @males_hub_ with approximately 1.2 million followers and @ratchethoodvideos with 806,000, that have allegedly spread anti-Raman videos without proper sponsorship disclosures. These videos reportedly feature Thrive’s mock real estate signs and the battered RV, accompanied by messages critical of Raman's policies.

Raman’s campaign asserts that these social media posts were part of a coordinated effort to disguise paid political advertising as organic content. Public filings indicate that Thrive LA has reported $53,800 in digital advertising spending and $81,200 for print advertising.

While the complaint acknowledges that the physical signs do carry written disclaimers identifying Thrive as the sponsor, Raman’s campaign contends that these disclosures do not address the issues raised regarding the AI phone line and the social media campaign. The Ethics Commission has not yet made a determination on the complaint. The dispute highlights the evolving tactics in political advertising, particularly the use of AI and social media to influence public perception.