MeitY to meet Meta, Google, other platforms and ‘brainstorm’ on deepfakes
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India is taking proactive steps to address the growing concern of AI-generated deepfakes on social media platforms. Deepfake technology, which involves creating realistic fake videos or audio recordings using artificial intelligence, has raised significant concerns globally due to its potential for misinformation, defamation, and other malicious activities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s acknowledgment of the challenges posed by deepfake technology underscores the seriousness with which the government views this issue. The recent incident involving a digitally altered video of actor Rashmika Mandanna going viral likely prompted increased attention and urgency in addressing the problem.
MeitY’s decision to hold meetings with major social media platforms, including Meta (formerly Facebook) and Google, reflects a collaborative approach to finding effective solutions. These discussions provide a platform for stakeholders to share insights, discuss challenges, and brainstorm strategies to mitigate the spread and impact of AI-generated deepfakes.
The focus on developing strategies to combat deepfakes indicates a recognition of the potential threats posed by this technology to individuals, public figures, and the general public. By engaging with social media platforms directly, the government aims to work together with technology companies to implement measures that can identify and prevent the dissemination of misleading content.
The specific details of the strategies and solutions discussed in these meetings would likely include the development and implementation of advanced content detection algorithms, improved reporting mechanisms for users to flag suspicious content, and collaboration on research and development to stay ahead of evolving deepfake technologies.
This initiative aligns with global efforts to address the challenges posed by deepfakes and highlights the need for coordinated action between governments and technology platforms to safeguard against the misuse of AI-generated content. As the discussions progress, it will be interesting to see the concrete steps and policies that may emerge to tackle the persistent issue of deepfakes in the Indian digital landscape.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the issue of AI-generated deepfakes, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) took action by sending an advisory to social media platforms, including Meta and Google. The advisory urged these platforms to promptly remove content involving deepfakes, emphasizing the impact on the modesty of women and the “irreparable harm” caused to citizens.
According to Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, the platforms have responded to the advisory, taking their own steps to address the issue. However, he expressed the belief that additional measures need to be implemented to effectively tackle the challenges posed by AI-generated deepfakes.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is planning a meeting with various online platforms, including Meta and Google, in the next 3-4 days to address the issue of AI-generated deepfakes. The goal of the meeting is to collaboratively develop strategies and measures to prevent, avoid, and clean up deepfake content on these platforms.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized that the safe harbor status of online platforms would not apply if they fail to take appropriate action to remove deepfakes. Recent incidents involving deepfake videos targeting well-known actors have raised concerns about the misuse of technology and the need for effective measures to combat this issue. The upcoming meeting aims to encourage platforms to implement necessary efforts to address the challenges posed by AI-generated deepfakes.
Regarding the threat notifications received by several Opposition politicians and journalists from Apple, warning them of potential spyware targeting their devices, Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned that both Apple and CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) are conducting investigations into the matter. He expressed confidence that results would be obtained as part of these investigations. The threat notifications raised concerns about the potential targeting of individuals through spyware, and ongoing investigations by relevant authorities aim to determine the nature and extent of the threat, as well as to ensure the security of affected individuals’ devices.
