Moderation on a popular AI image generator can be easily circumvented to create images that drive conspiracy theories, new report finds

• Midjourney, a generative AI platform, bans users from creating abusive images, according to its terms of service.
• However, a new report shared with Bloomberg sayts the company's rules can easily be evaded.

A new report shared with Bloomberg finds that users can easily circumvent filters on a popular AI image generator to create images that perpetuate misinformation.

Midjourney, a generative AI platform, allows users to create images with certain guidelines. For instance, their terms of service bars users from creating images "that are inherently disrespectful, aggressive, or otherwise abusive" and bans "adult content or gore." The terms also ban users from using the service to create images for political campaigns.

The terms also stipulate the system can "block some text inputs automatically," and Midjourney has 68 staff members moderating the platform, Bloomberg reported.

However, a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate — which is not yet publicly available — shows that despite these rules, users can still generate images that are abusive and can perpetuate misinformation, according to Bloomberg.

Researchers found that users can easily create images related to Pizzagate, a conspiracy theory that circulated in 2016 falsely claiming that Hillary Clinton and John Podesta, her campaign chair for the 2016 presidential election, ran a child trafficking ring inside a Washington, DC pizzeria.

Researchers also found that users can use code words to evade Midjourney's terms of service. They found that users cannot generate an image of Bill and Hillary Clinton with blood on their hands, Bloomberg reported, but can instead generate an image of the couple with strawberry syrup on their hands.

Midjourney did not respond to Insider's request for comment prior to publication.

Concerns about AI misinformation in political campaigns have been prevalent in recent months as the 2024 presidential election season ramps up.

Earlier this summer Flordia Gov. Ron DeSantis' campaign team tweeted an AI-generated image of Donald Trump and Anthony Fauci embracing and kissing, Insider previously reported.

News also broke around the same time that Toronto mayoral candidate Anthony Furey used AI-generated images for campaign materials, Insider also reported. He was caught in part because one of those campaign images featured a woman with three arms.