Deepfake Alert : Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Electronics, IT, and Communications, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from social media platforms, government officials, and cybersecurity experts, for a collaborative meeting.
What is Deepfake?
Deepfake technology has been in existence for some time, it grabbed the government’s attention recently, particularly after a fake video of Bollywood actor Rashmika Mandana went viral. This incident prompted not only calls from prominent actors for legal solutions to tackle this widespread technology but also drew attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who underscored the urgent need to combat deepfakes. In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has swiftly taken action, engaging in discussions with key industry players to regulate the use of this pervasive technology.
Responding promptly to the threat of deepfake technology, the government is taking swift action. This technology, powered by artificial intelligence, can generate deceptive videos and images. Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology and Communications, spearheaded a meeting on Thursday, bringing together vital stakeholders such as social media platforms, government officials, and cybersecurity experts. This collaborative effort aims to address the challenges posed by pervasive technology and explore effective solutions.
The minister highlighted that the gathering aimed to craft a well-rounded plan to tackle the issues arising from deepfake content. Emphasizing a comprehensive approach, the strategy will centre around four key elements: detection, prevention, establishing a reporting mechanism, and raising awareness. The minister stressed the urgency of addressing deepfake as a significant social threat, necessitating immediate and effective action.
Additionally, he mentioned the introduction of new regulations to tackle the problem, with plans to finalize the drafting process in the upcoming weeks. The minister underscored unanimous agreement among stakeholders on the gravity of the threat, emphasizing the necessity for more stringent regulations. He clarified that deepfake doesn’t fall under the umbrella of free speech; instead, it poses genuine harm to society.
The minister also shared a video demonstrating what he claimed to be an entrance to a secret tunnel belonging to the militant group Hamas, situated beneath a civilian’s home near a hospital in Gaza. This video served as an illustration of how deepfake technology has the potential to be exploited for disseminating misinformation and propaganda.
The gathering saw the participation of social media firms, NASSCOM, and AI professors. The minister announced that the next meeting concerning deepfake concerns is scheduled for the first week of December. He emphasized the government’s dedication to protecting society from the adverse effects of deepfake technology.
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Drafting regulation
MeitY, working closely with various stakeholders, has acknowledged the critical need for more robust regulations concerning deepfakes. Vaishnaw stated, “We’ve agreed to kick off the drafting of regulations today. We aim to have a new set of regulations for deepfakes in a very short timeframe.” Currently in the early stages of discussions, the government is considering various options, including introducing new rules, enacting a new law, or amending existing regulations. Once the ministry finalizes the regulations, a period of public consultation will follow.
Responding to a question regarding the potential development of in-house tools to identify and detect deepfakes, the minister acknowledged it as a valuable suggestion and something the team will explore.
The ministry is gearing up for the next meeting in early December to delve deeper into the topics that will be covered in the draft regulation.
Responsibility of both creator and host platform
The Minister underscored that accountability will be shared between both the user/creator and the hosting platform. Despite efforts to bypass labeling and watermarking, the Minister emphasized the urgency of finding an effective solution to address this challenge.
Highlighting the availability of advanced technologies for detecting deepfakes, the Minister acknowledged that experts in the field have confirmed their existence. However, he acknowledged the ongoing “cat and mouse game” as people continuously refine deepfake techniques, making them more elusive.
The upcoming meeting, set for the first week of December, will delve into follow-up actions from the current discussions. In the meantime, social media platforms and companies have committed to taking proactive steps within the confines of their internal guidelines.