Government to bring regulations to tackle deepfakes: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday that the government plans to work on the development of a dedicated regulation aimed at addressing the issue of deepfakes. The decision comes after a meeting with representatives from social media platforms and AI companies. Vaishnaw stressed the urgency of implementing these regulations, aiming to have them in place soon.
Four pillars to combat deepfakes
In the next 10 days, the government will focus on how to detect deepfakes and misinformation, prevent their spread, improve reporting mechanisms, and raise public awareness when it comes to deepfakes, the minister said. Vaishnaw explained that all involved companies agree on the need for regulation, as deepfakes are not about free speech but rather a harmful trend.
Next steps in drafting regulations
"We will start drafting the regulations today itself," Vaishnaw said. The next meeting is set for December 1, where participants will discuss the draft and follow up on previous discussions. The regulation could be introduced as an amendment to existing rules or as a new law. A nodal officer has been appointed to facilitate consultations, and an email ID will be provided for communication purposes, the IT minister informed.
Protecting users' right to know
During the meeting, misleading advertisements related to deepfakes were also discussed. Vaishnaw emphasized that users have the right to know which content is natural and which is synthetic or fake. The upcoming regulations aim to address this issue, ensuring that users are aware of the authenticity of the content they consume on digital platforms.
Actor Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake video triggered the whole matter
Recently, a viral deepfake video featuring actor Rashmika Mandanna sparked widespread discussions in the country about the risks of deepfake technology. This incident prompted bigwigs from across Bollywood and politics to voice their concerns about the unchecked use of this technology. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar's daughter Sara Tendulkar also voiced her concerns after finding her deepfakes on social media. On November 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a joint regulation on the use of AI.
