The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) has sent out an advisory to social media platforms outlining the legal guidelines governing deepfakes and the possible repercussions connected to their creation and distribution, one day after a deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna went viral on the platform.
3 years in prison and a fine of Rs 1 lakh”
The government advisory referenced Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, stating that “whoever, by means of any communication device or computer resource, cheats by personating, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to one lakh rupees.” For those who are unaware, “punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource” is covered under Section 66D.
Rajeev Chandrashekhar, the minister of state for electronics and information technology, gave an assurance yesterday that the Narendra Modi administration is dedicated to making sure Indians feel safe and trusted. “The government of Narendra Modi is dedicated to protecting the security and confidence of every Digital Nagrik who uses the Internet. According to the IT rules announced in April 2023, platforms are required by law to make sure that no false information is posted by users and that false information is removed within 36 hours of being reported by users or the government. Should platforms fail to adhere to these regulations, rule 7 will take effect, and platforms may be sued in court by resentful parties under the provisions of the IPC; The most recent, harmful, and hazardous type of misinformation is deepfake, which requiresto be dealt with by platforms”, tweeted the IT minister.
Video: Rashmika Mandanna’s Deepfake
Yesterday, a video that starred Rashmika Mandanna was making the rounds on social media. The Pushpa actor could be seen boarding an elevator in the video. The video was released on X by writer and researcher Abhishek Kumar, who is calling for a legislative and regulatory structure to address the growing problem of deepfakes in India. For those who don’t know, the actor’s face was deepfake-ed to replace the original image of British-Indian influencer Zara Patel in the video.
Video: Rashmika Mandanna’s Deepfake
Yesterday, a video that starred Rashmika Mandanna was making the rounds on social media. The Pushpa actor could be seen boarding an elevator in the video. The video was released on X by writer and researcher Abhishek Kumar, who is calling for a legislative and regulatory structure to address the growing problem of deepfakes in India. For those who don’t know, the actor’s face was deepfake-ed to replace the original image of British-Indian influencer Zara Patel in the video.