Deepfake Alert: Govt Takes Action After Rashmika Mandanna Video Spreads Online
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has delivered a strong message to social media platforms, highlighting their legal responsibilities in combatting deepfakes and other types of false information. The catalyst for his statement was the widespread circulation of a disturbing deepfake video featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna. Initially featuring British-Indian influencer Zara Patel, the video had been altered using deepfake technology to replace her face with that of Rashmika Mandanna.
Legal consequences of non-compliance
In a tweet, Chandrasekhar stated that “PM @narendramodi Ji’s government is committed to ensuring the safety and confidence of all digital nagriks using the internet,” and outlined the legal responsibilities social media platforms have to comply with under IT rules.
According to the IT rules set in April 2023, these platforms must prevent users from spreading misleading information and remove such content without delay when notified by either users or the government.
Failure to comply with the rules may lead to legal action under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the minister warned. He stressed that deepfakes, which involve the use of artificial intelligence to alter images or videos, have become a worrying source of misinformation and these platforms need to address them.
Deepfakes have gained notoriety as a way to generate fake viral content, and the case of Zara Patel and Rashmika Mandanna highlights the harm they can cause.
Patel, a popular Instagram influencer with a huge following, shared a video last month in which she was seen entering an elevator in a black outfit. To the amazement of his audience, his face had transformed into Rashmika Mandanna’s when he entered the lift.
Rashmika Mandanna, known for her roles in ‘Pushpa’ and ‘Varisu’, expressed her deep concern over misuse of technology while responding to the viral deepfake video.
In a post on Heart X, Mandanna said, “I’m really hurt to share this and I have to talk about the deepfake video circulating online. Something like this is honestly very scary, not just for me, but for every one of us who are exposed to so much harm these days , because technology is misused.”
Mandanna expressed her gratitude to her family, friends and well-wishers for their unwavering support and protection. He also noted that if a similar incident had happened during his school or college days, it would have been very challenging to deal with.
“Today, as a woman and an actress, I am grateful for my family, friends and well-wishers who are my protection and support system. But if this happened to me when I was in school or college, I really can’t imagine how I could ever address this. We have to address this as a community and urgently, before more of us are affected by this kind of identity theft,” he further stressed.
What is Deepfakes: fake content created by artificial intelligence
Deepfakes use technology including artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep neural networks and more to create convincingly fake images and videos. They impersonate real people by creating fictitious photos, crafted videos, and “voice clones.” The Washington Post revealed in a report: “…deep fakes are made using a form of artificial intelligence. An algorithm is trained to recognize patterns in real video footage of a particular person, a process known as deep learning.”
Deepfakes involve swapping victims’ faces or creating completely fabricated content to make it seem like someone is doing or saying things they never did. In fact, you can add the victim’s face and body to any video, including popular movies and shows. The technology maps the person from all possible angles and then adds them to a movie or video clip. The technology is easily accessible through apps available in app stores and even some portals.
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