Doctors Accuse Philip Morris of Using AI to Manipulate EU Tobacco Policy
Doctors and health organisations accused Philip Morris International of using an AI tool to manipulate European tobacco policy, reportedly deploying a campaign that generated fake citizen arguments against stricter regulations while collecting sensitive personal data. The complaint alleges the campaign violated advertising and privacy laws and was filed with three Dutch regulators.
What happened
Philip Morris International deployed a campaign with QR codes on posters in Dutch shopping areas directing people to a website where they could click objections against stricter tobacco and nicotine regulations. The website then provided AI-generated arguments for submission to the European Commission, according to doctors and health organisations.
Doctors and health foundations accused the campaign of being manipulative, saying it created the appearance of neutral citizen participation while steering people toward predetermined positions. The website allegedly collected sensitive personal data including whether people smoke or use alternative tobacco products.
Reported impact
Hans Snijder, director of the Hartstichting, called it an orchestrated lobbying campaign by an industry that causes millions of people to become ill and die annually worldwide. Danielle Cohen, a lung pathologist at the LUMC, stated the campaign was carefully designed to influence people while appearing to allow independent opinion-giving.
Index analysis
The advocates filing complaints argued the campaign qualified as tobacco advertising, which is prohibited. They also asserted that privacy law was not properly followed on the website.
Governance controls
Doctors and health organisations filed complaints on 5 June 2026 with the Reclame Code Commissie for allegedly misleading advertising, the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens for data protection violations, and the Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.