Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged journalists to generate awareness about 'deepfakes' to address a looming crisis.
He also said at BJP's 'Diwali Milan' for BJP beat journalists and others that a large segment of Indian society lacks the wherewithal to verify what reaches it through social media.
Deepfakes represent the manipulation of facial appearance through 'artificial intelligence' (AI) to portray false imagery, usually for malicious purposes and to spread fake news.
“I saw a video in which I was playing Garba, thanks to deepfake! The way deepfakes are spreading in the era of artificial intelligence is a big crisis! Notably, this quickly ignites dissatisfaction in society!” Modi told journalists at the BJP’s Diwali Milan.
Matters related to fake news or 'deep fake news' is nothing new.
Modi said many people take deepfakes to be true because they come via social media, which enjoys legitimacy because of its association with the media. The Prime Minister referred to his meeting with Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT – the free-to-use AI system – in Delhi earlier this year and said he had suggested that deepfakes carry a statutory warning like cigarette packets.
Modi had earlier on Friday brought up the need for the responsible use of technology in the age of artificial intelligence while addressing the inaugural session of the Voice of Global South Summit, too, indicating the government was seriously worried about deepfakes in an election year.
Last week, a viral deepfake video of actor Rashmika Mandanna had sparked concern about the misuse of easy-to-use tools, available even on smartphones, to create mischievous and offensive images.
The same day, a deepfake picture of actress Katrina Kaif too surfaced, showing how particularly vulnerable public figures are. The latest to be targeted through a manipulated video is Kajol. The 'actress Kajol video' appears to have begun circulating well over a week after the Union IT ministry issued an advisory to social media platforms underlining the legal provisions that cover such deepfakes, including the penalties their creation and circulation could attract.
Fake news and motivated campaigns do happen abroad and some of these have in the past left Indian communities in certain countries concerned.
In January 2019, the issue was flagged off by president of the Australia Hindu Council chief Prakash Mehta during his visit to Varanasi for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Sammelan.
Mehta had told this blogger that often Hindu community and BJP leaders have been at the receiving end of such motivated onslaught vis-a-vis fake news.
He had referred to a cartoon published in a local Australian newspaper and said the "very intent of the caricature" was to show India and the Indian leaders in poor light.
"I will give an example, a Syndney-based newspaper had carried a cartoon mocking at India's solar energy works," he had said adding the caricature showed that a group of Indians sitting without food and one of them saying whether solar energy will give them 'chutney'. On matters like this, Mehta said often the Hindu Council (in Australia) worked in coordination with the Indian mission and the matter was taken up officially with the particular media organisation.
To a question, Mehta had said, "See, essentially it only highlights their intent. They want to mock at India and perhaps it sells." Mehta had cited another instance stating that when in 2017, Yogi Adityanath was selected/elected as new Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, without any verification it was reported in Australia that a Sadhu from his hermit has been made the Chief Minister.
Yet again, the Australia Hindu Council had got into action and it had to be countered that the Yogi is a graduate and could never be mocked at like that.
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