MeitY's advisory to social media firms on deepfake cites threat to women's modesty, citizen's dignity

Deepfake uses AI to alter a person's appearance, voice, or actions in a way that can be realistic and challenging to discern from authentic, unaltered content

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on November 7 sent an advisory to social media companies and urged them to tackle deepfake content, days after actor Rashmika Mandanna's digitally morphed video went viral on social media platforms. But what does the advisory say?

Deepfake is a piece of technology that leverages AI to alter a person's appearance, voice, or actions in a way that can be realistic and challenging to discern from authentic, unaltered content.

In the advisory, a copy of which Moneycontrol has seen, the government has appealed to social media platforms to remove such content from their platforms by pointing that such content affect the modesty of women, and cause "irreparable harm" to citizens.

"Such reports.. that deep fake imagery relating to prominent personalities and celebrities is being created and such manipulated contents often undermines the dignity of the persons, including specifically the modesty of women," it said.

Repercussions

It also creates apprehensions in minds of citizens, that deepfake can be used to misrepresent them, "which could cause irreparable harm to innocent persons" it added.

The government, in the advisory, also warned social media intermediaries that not removing deepfake content from their platforms can attract damages, such as losing safe harbour provisions and so on. The safe harbour provision gives internet platforms legal immunity against content shared by users on the platforms

Also read: Deepfakes: We have been warned and it is time for countermeasures

The ministry referred to Section 66D of the IT Act that said if a person is impersonated and cheats using a communication device or computer resource, then that person can be punished with imprisonment and liable to be fined.

Under the Information Technology (IT) Rules Sec 3 (1) (b) platforms are obligated to do their due diligence in ensuring that users not host content like this.

Also Read: Take action on deepfakes: MeitY sends advisory to social media firms

And under Sec 3(2)(b) of the Rules, a platform, after receiving a user complaint in relation to impersonation on a electronic medium, has to disable access to such content within 24 hours.

"As per the laws in force, such content / information which violates the IT Act/Rules, should be removed or access disabled upon receipt of court orders or notification from the Appropriate Government or its authorised agency or based on a complaint made by the impersonated individual or person authorised by him in this behalf," the advisory read.

However, platforms often find it difficult to detect such content because unlike CSAM or pornography, which is detectable through automated process, deepfake can be actioned only after a user complaints against a piece of content.

"The government has put the onus of taking action on deepfake on the platforms. But there is more work to be done on understanding and regulating this new technology. Government should regulate AI," a social media executive said. Moneycontrol has reached out to Meta, Twitter, Google, and YouTube with more queries in this regard, and the article will be updated when a response is received.

On November 7, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "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."

"Deepfakes are a major violation and harm women in particular. Our Government takes the responsibility of safety & trust of all nagriks (sic) very very seriously, and more so about our children and women who are targeted by such content," he added in a statement.