"Wait till November 24": Union MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar on deepfake issue

Union Minister for Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar has echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concern about the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and the rising threat of deepfake technology. PM Modi had, on November 17, during the Diwali Milan program at the BJP Headquarters in New Delhi, cautioned the public about the potential dangers of AI-generated deepfakes. He shared a personal experience of encountering a fake video showing him performing Garba, expressing surprise at the deceptive content.

"He (PM Modi) has absolutely flagged an issue that he has already flagged and repeatedly brought to the attention of the people of India that while the internet is a tool of empowerment, 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," news agency ANI quoted Chandrasekhar as saying in Delhi.

"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.

The Union Minister further promised to continue to create a framework including considering a new legislation to ensure that deepfakes or misinformation at large do not pose a threat to the safety and trust of the 1.2 billion Indians who will be on the Indian internet. "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," Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar further added that the government would engage with the industry to make sure that they do not allow deepfakes to create chaos, harm or toxicity in the Indian internet for Indian citizens.  "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," said Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The issue of deepfakes recently gained attention when actor Rashmika Mandanna became a victim of deceptive content. A video depicting a woman resembling Rashmika wearing a black swimsuit went viral, prompting social media users to identify it as a deepfake.