A new study has found that thousands of AI-generated responses flooded a UK government consultation on disposable vapes in 2023. Source: independent.co.uk.
What Happened in the Consultation
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched a public consultation in 2023 on proposed restrictions to the sale of disposable vapes.
Of these, 90,835 were identified as fraudulent and excluded from the final report.
Researchers found all bot-generated responses were multiple-choice answers. They all targeted a single question: whether restrictions on disposable vape sales should be introduced.
Every bot response reported learning about the consultation through social media. This consistency raised concerns about coordination.
Key Findings from the Study
The analysis was published in the journal Tobacco Control and led by Dr Nason Maani of the University of Edinburgh and Prof Anna Gilmore of the University of Bath.
Without filtering, the unfiltered dataset would have shown a majority opposing such restrictions — a reversal of the actual public sentiment.
The researchers concluded this was the first known large-scale use of AI to interfere with a public health policy in the UK.
Why It Matters
Public consultations are meant to reflect genuine public opinion. When bots generate thousands of responses, they distort the data.
Dr Maani and Prof Gilmore said the pattern suggests a coordinated campaign — similar to past attempts by the tobacco industry to manipulate public consultations.
Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said the situation is deeply concerning.
She warned that technological advances could be used to serve commercial interests in health policy, undermining evidence-based decisions.
She stressed that public health decisions must be grounded in expert evidence, not manipulated numbers.
Limitations and Open Questions
The study does not confirm the exact motive behind the bot campaign.
It does not identify which organisation or group operated the bots.
Researchers say the aim of the bots is unknown — though they may have been intended to oppose proposed restrictions.
The study does not confirm whether the bots were used in other policy consultations.
It also does not explore whether similar tactics could be used in other areas, such as climate policy or healthcare regulations.
What to Watch Next
As AI tools become more sophisticated, the risk of automated interference in public consultations grows.
Experts say stronger detection tools and governance safeguards are needed — especially in lower-resource settings.
Regulators may need to adopt new protocols to verify the authenticity of public submissions.
More research is needed to understand how AI can be used to influence policy — and how to prevent such interference.
For more on health policy and digital risks, see ditching dairy for oat milk and its potential health impacts.
Sources & further reading
Featured image: original publisher image. Via original publisher. Image source
