New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (November 17) flagged the issue of artificial intelligence to create ‘deep fakes’, and said that the media must educate people regarding the emerging crisis. The issue made headlines recently after ‘deep fake’ videos of some Bollywood actresses surfaced on social media. Rashmika Mandanna’s deepfake video had gone viral on social media which showed her face morphed over the body of British-Indian Instagram influencer Zara Patel. Deep fakes of Katrina Kaif and Kajol made rounds on social media in the last few days.
Addressing journalists at BJP’s Diwali Milan programme at the party’s headquarters in the national capital, PM Modi also referred to his resolve to make India ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India), saying these are not merely words but a ground reality. He also said that his call for ‘vocal for local’ has found people’s support.
The Prime Minister further said that India’s achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic created confidence among the people that the country is not going to stop now.
He also said that Chhath Puja has become a ‘rashtriya parva’ (national festival) and it is a matter of great happiness.
Deep fakes
After Rashmika Mandanna and Katrina Kaif, a fake video of Bollywood actress Kajol has been doing rounds on social media platforms. The footage, originally shared on TikTok, showcases Kajol’s face digitally manipulated to create a misleading and fabricated scenario. In the video, the woman purporting to be Kajol appears to be changing clothes, further emphasising the deceptive nature of the deep fake content.
Following Rashmika’s fake viral video, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) issued an advisory to social media platforms, highlighting the legal regulations governing deep fakes and the potential consequences associated with their creation and dissemination.
Citing Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the government advisory stated, “Whoever, by means of any communication device or computer resource cheats by personating, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to one lakh rupees.” For the unversed, Section 66D relates to ‘punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource’.
(With PTI inputs)