Dutch privacy watchdog warns against using AI chatbots for voting advice

BRUSSELS

The Dutch Data Protection Authority has warned voters not to rely on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for voting advice, saying the tools are biased and could undermine democratic integrity, the local broadcaster NOS reported on Tuesday.

According to the data protection authority's research, AI chatbots frequently recommended only two political parties, the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) and the left-wing GroenLinks–PvdA alliance, when asked which party best matched the users' views.

The study compared four well-known AI chatbots with official Dutch voting tools such as Kieskompas and StemWijzer. It found that most political parties were not represented in the chatbots' recommendations.

"Chatbots seem like clever tools, but as a voting aid, they consistently fail," Monique Verdier, the vice-chair of the privacy watchdog, said. "As a result, voters may unknowingly be advised to vote for a party that doesn't best align with their preferences. This directly affects a cornerstone of democracy."

In more than 30% of the tested cases, PVV was listed as the top recommendation, while GroenLinks–PvdA appeared first in nearly 25% of cases. Centrist parties such as the Christian Democratic Appeal and the Christian Union were barely suggested, at 1.3% and 0.3%, respectively.

Researchers described this as a "vacuum cleaner effect," where left-leaning users were drawn toward GroenLinks–PvdA and right-leaning ones toward PVV, leading to what they called a "distortion and polarization" of the political landscape.

Verdier warned that the trend could threaten democratic processes, saying: "Because if, regardless of what you enter, you end up with two parties, you might think, 'I have to vote for that party,' even though that party doesn't align at all with your preferences and the things you consider important."

The Dutch Data Protection Authority urged developers to ensure chatbots refuse to provide voting advice and instead redirect users to official election guidance websites.