A viral deepfake video of actress Priyanka Chopra has gone viral on the internet. In this fake video, Chopra’s face stays the same, unlike in other cases. However, her voice is morphed in such a way that the original audio has been replaced by a fake brand endorsement. She even discloses her annual earnings while promoting this brand in the deepfake video.
Deepfake technology allows users to edit videos in such a way that they can make anyone say or do things that they wouldn’t have in the real world. This technology can be used by bad actors to spread misinformation and hurt anyone’s reputation.
Popular celebrities including Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Kajol, and Rashmika Mandanna have also been victims of the same technology. In Alia Bhatt’s recent manipulated video, a woman’s face was edited to look like Alia Bhatt’s. She was sitting on a bed wearing strappy dress and making vulgar gestures towards the camera.
The sudden rise in deepfake menace has alerted the government of India to take action against such incidents. Recently, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar held a meeting with a social media platform to discuss the situation. He reviewed the progress made by these platforms in tackling misinformation and deepfakes. He also announced that the government will be issuing advisories for social media platforms soon to ensure 100 per cent compliance by platform.
In a post on X, the minister wrote, “A new amended IT Rules to further ensure compliance of platforms, and safety & trust of Digital Nagriks is actively under consideration”.
According to PTI, most of the social media platforms have complied, while others that are “slow” at doing so are given more time. The government has even clarified that it will continue with its “zero tolerance policy” on user harm rising due to misinformation and deepfakes. It was revealed that a section under CRPC allows prosecution for deepfakes under “forgery”.
A source told PTI, “Whether we need to issue only advisories or issue new amended rules is something we will review in seven days from today. And if necessary, we will follow it up with much tighter set of rules that focus on enforcement and issue of creating deterrence for those who abuse the platforms.”
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