Indian Government Takes Action Against Deepfakes to Ensure Women’s Safety
New Delhi: In a move to safeguard the well-being of women and address growing concerns over deepfakes, the Indian government has ordered social media platforms to remove deceptive content created by artificial intelligence (AI) within 36 hours. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) issued an advisory to major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube following the viral spread of a deepfake video featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna.
The advisory emphasizes the existing legal provisions that these platforms must adhere to as online intermediaries. Specifically, the government invoked Section 66 D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, reminding platforms of their obligation to remove such content within the specified time frames as dictated by these regulations.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, stated, 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. He further emphasized that deepfakes are a violation that particularly harms women and stressed the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and trust of all citizens, with a special focus on children and women who are often targeted by such content.
It is worth noting that the minister strongly advised anyone affected by deepfakes to file a police report in their nearest police station.
Actress Rashmika Mandanna expressed her distress in a heartfelt message posted on X, a microblogging site. She shared her gratitude for her family, friends, and well-wishers who provide her with protection and support. However, she highlighted the concerns that would arise for young individuals facing similar situations without a solid support system. Mandanna called for urgent action from the community to address these issues and prevent others from suffering the impact of such identity-related exploitation.
Zara Patel, the British-Indian social media personality whose face was superimposed in the deepfake video, also condemned the incident, emphasizing her complete lack of involvement with the clip. She urged people to fact-check information found on the internet, stating, Not everything on the internet is real.
Leading Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan was quick to respond to the viral video, stressing the need for a legal and regulatory framework to tackle deepfakes in India.
By issuing this directive, the Indian government aims to combat the rising misuse of AI-generated deepfakes that pose a threat to women’s safety and overall digital trust. The timely removal of such deceptive content from social media platforms within 36 hours will play a crucial role in ensuring a safer online environment.
