On Deepfake Videos, PM Modi’s Request To ChatGPT: “They Should…”

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged the misuse of artificial intelligence for creating deepfake videos, calling it a “big concern.”

PM Modi said that he has asked the ChatGpt team to flag deepfakes and issue a warning when such videos are circulated on the internet.

“During the times of Artificial Intelligence, it is important that technology should be used responsibly,” he said.

Addressing journalists at BJP’s Diwali Milan programme at the party’s headquarters in Delhi, the Prime Minister also asked the media to educate people about the issue.

PM Modi’s remarks come after deepfake videos – with morphed faces of actor Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif and Kajol – recently surfaced on social media, evoking huge outrage.

The videos sparked concerns over the ramifications of such tinkering, especially for public figures, who may get in trouble over visuals their faces are doctored into.

Several voices in the film industry, including legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, flagged the matter and called for legal action.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology last week issued an advisory to social media platforms, underlining the legal provisions that cover such deepfakes and the penalties their creation and circulation may attract.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that it is a “legal obligation” for online platforms to prevent the spread of misinformation.”Remove any such content when reported within 36 hours of such reporting and ensure expeditious action, well within the timeframes stipulated under the IT Rules 2021, and disable access to the content or information,” the statement said.

The government, the minister added, is committed to ensuring safety and trust for Indians in the digital space.

The Centre has said that creation and circulation of deepfakes carry strong penalty – Rs 1 lakh in fine and three years in jail.