The Indian government has issued a stern reminder to social media platforms in response to a viral deepfake video, allegedly featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna, raising concerns about the misuse of Artificial Intelligence to propagate disinformation.
Indian Govt Issues Advisory To Social Media Platform Regarding Deepfakes
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has sent an advisory to social media platforms, highlighting the legal provisions governing deepfakes and the potential penalties associated with their creation and dissemination.
The government has invoked Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which deals with “punishment for cheating by personation by using a computer resource.”
This section stipulates that individuals who cheat by impersonation through a communication device or computer resource could face imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
This advisory comes in the wake of a startling incident involving a viral video purportedly showing Ms. Mandanna entering an elevator.
Subsequently, it was revealed that the video was manipulated using deepfake technology, replacing the face of British-Indian influencer Zara Patel with that of Mandanna.
Repercussions of Manipulations For Public Figures
The revelation has ignited concerns about the potential repercussions of such manipulations, particularly for public figures whose identities can be exploited in this manner.
Mandanna expressed her fear and distress regarding this incident, deeming it “extremely scary.” She emphasized the misuse of technology and its potential for causing harm to individuals, including public figures.
Several voices in the film industry, including the renowned actor Amitabh Bachchan, have raised the issue and called for legal action.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, tweeted, “Under the IT rules notified in April, 2023 – it is a legal obligation for platforms to ensure no misinformation is posted by any user, ensure that when reported by any user or govt, misinformation is removed in 36 hrs. If platforms do not comply wth this, rule 7 will apply and platforms can be taken to court by aggrieved person under provisions of IPC. Deep fakes are latest and even more dangerous and damaging form of misinformation and needs to be dealt with by platforms.”
The video in question is still accessible on social media platforms, despite these developments.
