The government will be taking stringent measures towards cracking down on the misuse of artificial intelligence through deepfakes, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on November 21.
“You will have to wait till November 24 to see what we do. We will talk to the industry and we will come up with an overall framework that strengthens our existing framework that is already present,” news agency ANI quoted Chandrasekhar as saying in Delhi.
The minister noted that the government would create a framework to ensure that deepfakes do not threaten the safety of millions of internet users in India. In order to tackle the menace, the Centre is consulting with the intermediaries, he pointed out.
Also Read: ‘Dangerous, damaging’: Govt on ‘deepfake’ video of actor Rashmika Mandanna
“We continue to engage with all the platforms. I have always said that the platforms and the government are partners in ensuring that the internet in India is open, safe, trusted and accountable for our digital citizens. We will continue to engage with them” Chandrasekhar said.
“Deepfakes that are misinformation powered by AI, is a very important, clear and present danger to the safety and trust of Indians who are using the internet and we have already worked very hard and created the IT Rules in April 2023,” he added.
Chandrasekhar’s remarks came four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking at a Diwali Milan programme in New Delhi, warned about the rising risk of deepfakes. He said that the technology had left him surprised after a fake video was brought to his notice, showing him dancing in a garba.
Echoing Modi’s views, the Union MoS said, “While AI is a tool of empowerment, growth and innovation, we must not forget that there are people on the internet that use AI and other forms of misinformation to cause harm, chaos in society, disorder and incite violence.”
The threat posed by deepfakes was highlighted earlier this month, after actor Rashmika Mandanna revealed that her face was used in a deepfake video that shows a woman in a black swimsuit. The clip went viral on social media, sparking concerns related to women’s safety in the online space.
Milestone Alert!Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.
The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
Updated: 21 Nov 2023, 06:13 PM IST
