Deepfake row: Centre to aid citizens in filing FIR against social media platforms for violating IT rules
New Delhi, Nov 24, 2023
The government will aid citizens in filing FIR against social media platforms for violating IT rules due to objectionable content like deepfakes, minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Friday. "Meity will assist users to very easily notify it about violation of IT rules and assist them in filing FIRs," Chandrasekhar informed.
Ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) will create a platform for users to report IT rule violations by social media platforms
Speaking after a meeting with social media platforms, Chandrasekhar emphasized zero tolerance for IT rule violations starting today. The FIR will be lodged against the intermediary, and if the content source is disclosed, the FIR will target the entity posting it.
Social media platforms have seven days to align their terms of use with the IT rules, as instructed by the Indian government. Platforms like Instagram, X and Facebook were earlier directed to remove deepfake videos within 24 hours of receiving a complaint.
During the G20 virtual summit, Prime Minister Modi stressed the importance of making artificial intelligence accessible while ensuring societal safety. Addressing the deepfake issue, Modi acknowledged global concerns about the negative use of AI, citing a viral deepfake video that featured PM Modi participating in Garba during Navratri festivities.
Deepfake videos, where a person's features are superimposed onto someone else's to appear authentic, have impacted celebrities like Rashmika Mandanna. To address these concerns, the government issued guidelines to social media companies for identifying and removing misleading content.
IT and telecom minister Ashwini Vaishaw described deepfakes as a "threat to democracy," expressing the intention to draft separate regulations promptly.
New regulations are being considered, proposing penalties for both creators and platforms hosting deepfakes, with a focus on measures like watermarking AI-generated content, deepfake detection, rules for data bias, privacy and safeguards against concentration.
[The Times of India]
