The Indian government has issued a stern advisory to all digital platforms: crack down on deep-fake content or face the music. This directive, rooted in the Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021, puts the onus squarely on social media and internet intermediaries to act swiftly against the spread of such deceptive content.
What Happened? The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, referencing specific sections of the IT Act and Rules, has mandated immediate action against deep-fake images, videos, or any related content.
The message is clear: platforms must scrub these digital doppelgangers from their sites posthaste or risk penalties, including a three-year jail term or a fine of ₹1 lakh.
Why the urgency? The urgency of this advisory was underscored by a recent incident where a deep-fake video featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna caused a stir online.
A UK-based influencer originally crafted the clip, which someone later altered to create the deep fake that showed Mandanna in a misleading context.
The incident has sparked outrage among Bollywood celebrities and prompted a warning from Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology. He emphasized that platforms have a legal duty to prevent the posting of misinformation and to remove it within 36 hours upon notification.
Action By Govt.
Hours after issuing a private advisory, the Indian government issued a public notice as well. This is in reference to the recent surge in circulation of deepfake content on social media including the infamous Rashmika Mandanna and Katrina Kaif ones. The government is in no mood to tolerate any impersonation.
What is the advisory against deepfakes issued by the government?
In a notice by PIB India, it is stated that all social media intermediaries need to “Ensure that due diligence is exercised, and reasonable efforts are made to identify misinformation and deepfakes, and in particular, information that violates the provisions of rules and regulations and/or user agreements.”
“Such cases are expeditiously actioned against, well within the timeframes stipulated under the IT Rules 2021, and users are caused not to host such information/content/Deep Fakes and remove any such content when reported within 36 hours of such reporting and ensure expeditious action, well within the timeframes stipulated under the IT Rules 2021, and disable access to the content/information.”
The advisory further stated, “The intermediaries were reminded that any failure to act as per the relevant provisions of the IT Act and Rules would attract Rule 7 of the IT Rules, 2021 and could render the organisation liable to losing the protection available under Section 79(1) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.”
In the same advisory Rajeev shared, “Given the significant challenges posed by misinformation and deepfakes, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has issued a second advisory within the last six months, calling upon online platforms to take decisive actions against the spread of deepfakes.”
“Our Government takes the responsibility of safety & trust of all nagriks very very seriously, and more so about our children and women who are targeted by such content. For those who find themselves impacted by deepfakes, I strongly encourage you to file First Information Reports (FIRs) at your nearest police station and avail the remedies provided under the Information Technology (IT) rules, 2021.”
Rashmika Mandanna gained massive support after raising this issue publicly whereas Katrina Kaif hasn’t reacted yet.
: The rising danger of deepfakes: Rashmika Mandanna’s story (Source : Benzinga India)
Chandrasekhar takes an unequivocal stance: platforms must combat deep fakes, a new and more insidious breed of misinformation, with full force. Failure to comply with these regulations could lead to legal action under Rule 7 of the IT Rules, allowing the aggrieved parties to seek justice in court.
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