Remove deepfake videos within 36 hours or face the consequences

Union Government warns social media

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar

New Delhi – Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar has warned the creators of ‘deepfake videos’. The Union Government has summoned online platforms, including Google, Facebook, and YouTube, to warn them that severe action will be taken against them, if they do not remove deepfakes from their sites. This advisory comes as the Government seeks to combat the proliferation of deceptive content generated by artificial intelligence.

#WATCH | Delhi | On PM Narendra Modi’s statement on deepfake and misuse of AI, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar says, “PM is very correct. He has absolutely flagged an issue that he has already flagged and repeatedly brought to the attention of the people of India that while… pic.twitter.com/xQ0uFRqgFN

— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2023

Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, emphasised the Government’s commitment to addressing the challenges posed by misinformation and deepfakes. While talking to news channels Rajeev Chandrashekhar said, considering the seriousness of the issue, they have been given a timeline of 36 hours to remove these videos. A warning has been given under new amendments to the IT Act, those platforms which do not comply, would face stern action. The advisory underlines the legal obligations of online platforms as intermediaries and references Section 66 D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules.These regulations mandate the removal of such content within specified time frames.

What is deepfake AI ?

Deepfake AI is a type of artificial intelligence used to create convincing images, audio and video hoaxes. The term describes both the technology and the resulting bogus content, and is a portmanteau of deep learning and fake.

Deepfakes often transform existing source content where one person is swapped for another. They also create entirely original content where someone is represented doing or saying something they didn’t do or say.

Credits : Eye on Tech

The greatest danger posed by deepfakes is their ability to spread false information that appears to come from trusted sources. For example, in 2022 a deepfake video was released of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy asking his troops to surrender.