Tobacco giant Philip Morris used AI to generate hundreds of fake “citizen” responses opposing tougher EU rules on vapes, with the Netherlands among the countries worst affected, an investigation by broadcaster NOS and the journalism platform Pointer has found.
The EU is preparing its biggest tightening of tobacco rules in 15 years, much of it aimed at alternatives to cigarettes such as vapes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches – products that now make up 40% of Philip Morris’ revenue. Before such laws are finalised, the European Commission invites the public to comment in a consultation.
Philip Morris put up yellow posters carrying QR codes in tobacco shops under the slogan “Your Voice Your Choice.” Scanning the code led to a tool that asked multiple-choice questions and then an option to write a first-person text, which users could send to the Commission. In the Netherlands alone, that happened more than 700 times.
NOS and Pointer ran some 65,000 responses from 15 countries through the AI-detection tool Pangram. About 30% appeared to be written by AI; in the Netherlands the figure was 71%, the second highest after Portugal.
The proposals drew 80,000 responses in all; 97% of such consultations attract fewer than 1,000. Experts told NOS it was a digital update of an old lobbying tactic: manufacturing the appearance of grassroots support.
The Commission said it was very concerned and condemned the “alleged attempts by the tobacco industry,” adding that it would take AI campaigns into account when weighing the responses.
In The Hague, some MPs reacted angrily, with CDA leader Henri Bontenbal saying the firm was “simply cheating” and ChristenUnie leader Mirjam Bikker accusing the industry of “hijacking democracy.”
Philip Morris said it used standard AI settings to make the texts readable and saw the campaign as “a legitimate contribution” to the democratic process, denying that responses were steered in any direction.
A group of Dutch lung specialists has separately filed a complaint with the advertising standards body, arguing the campaign breaches the ban on tobacco advertising and misleads the public. They said the tool helped users who opposed regulation to build their arguments, but offered nothing to those who wanted to support the new rules.
