On Deepfakes, IT Minister’s 7-Day Deadline For Social Media Platforms

New Delhi:

Amid consternation and outrage over a series of deepfake videos on social media, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said that the Centre will appoint an officer to check such content.

“Officer will be appointed to ensure action against deepfake content,” he said after meeting social media companies.

He said that social media platforms have been given seven days time to align their terms of use, as per the IT rules.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the government will assist the citizens in filing First Information Report or FIR against the social media companies.

The FIR will be registered against the intermediary and if they disclose the details from where the content has originated then the case will be filed against the entity that has posted the content, the minister said.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flagged the misuse of AI or artificial intelligence for creating deepfake videos and called it a “big concern.”

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

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

The videos have sparked massive worry about fake videos targeting public figures and the power of AI to create deepfakes that can mislead the world.

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

Mr Chandrasekhar had 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.