| Introduction: What is deepfake technology? Body: Effectiveness of laws to address the challenge of deepfake and comparison with global approaches. Conclusion: Way forward |
Recently, the Indian government instructed “social media intermediaries” to remove morphed videos or deepfakes from their platforms within 24 hours of a complaint being filed, following a requirement outlined in the IT Rules 2021. Videos, audio, or images produced with deep learning—a type of artificial intelligence—are referred to as deepfakes. It uses AI techniques to enable semi-skilled and unskilled people to produce fake material using morphing audio-visual clips and graphics.
How effective are India’s IT Rules, 2021 to address deepfakes?
- Content Regulation: The IT Rules, 2021 provide the government the authority to prosecute platforms that distribute particular kinds of content. It might not specifically address deepfake technology, but it might solve problems with the dissemination of dangerous deepfakes in an indirect way.
- Accountability and Traceability: The regulations place a strong emphasis on content creators’ accountability and traceability. Although the regulations might not specifically address deepfake technology, these elements might aid in identifying and reducing deepfake-related content.
- Lack of Clarity: Deepfake technology is developing quickly, and it presents special difficulties. It is imperative to establish regulations that target the production, propagation, and identification of deepfakes. The IT Rules, 2021, may be less effective in handling the complexities of deepfake-related challenges if they lack such precision.
Comparison with global approaches
- US & EU approach: The EU has released directives for establishing an autonomous network of fact-checkers aimed at scrutinizing the sources and procedures involved in content creation. Similarly, the U.S. has enacted the bipartisan Deepfake Task Force Act to combat the advancement of deepfake technology.
- International Cooperation: International cooperation is essential because deepfakes frequently cross national borders. The regulations about India might not delineate protocols for cooperating with other nations to tackle worldwide issues brought about by deepfakes.
- International Comparisons: In contrast to India’s strategy, governments of developed countries have been actively debating and putting policies in place to deal with deepfakes. While some governments concentrate on technology development and research, others have proposed laws demanding the disclosure of deepfake content.
Conclusion
The rapid evolution of deepfake technology poses unique challenges. To prevent instances of humiliation, blackmail, and potential attacks from organizations through the presentation of false evidence, it is imperative to establish regulations that explicitly focus on the creation, dissemination, and detection of deepfakes.
