Government’s Major Move Against Deepfakes! Approval Granted for These AI Projects

Deepfake AI: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued new guidelines for social media platforms such as Meta, X, and other digital intermediaries.

Deepfake AI: Artificial Intelligence is expanding rapidly across the globe. Alongside this growth, cyber fraudsters are increasingly using AI to scam people. Incidents of cyber fraud are rising sharply nationwide. The threat posed by AI-generated deepfake videos, fake photos, and fabricated audio is also escalating. These tools are being exploited for identity theft, online fraud, the spread of misinformation, and various cybercrimes. In response, the government has taken a significant step to tackle this challenge.

Strict Rules for Social Media Companies

According to media reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued new guidelines for social media platforms like Meta, X, and other digital intermediaries. These rules aim to curb the spread of misleading and illegal AI-generated content on social media. The government is also prioritizing the safety of internet users, which is the driving force behind this major initiative.

According to Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, AI technology has made creating fake videos, photos, and audio significantly easier than before. Consequently, the government has decided to strengthen existing laws.

Labeling AI Content

Under the new rules, platforms hosting AI-generated content must clearly label it as such. This ensures users can easily identify that the content they are viewing is not authentic but has been created using AI.

Illegal AI Content Must Be Removed Within 3 Hours

The government has amended the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The most significant change is that social media companies must now promptly address user complaints and take action on them.

Furthermore, under these rules, if a social media company receives a legal notice from the government regarding the display or removal of objectionable content, it must rectify the issue within three hours. Previously, companies were allowed 36 hours to respond or take action.

IITs to Develop Indigenous Deepfake Detection Technology

According to media reports, several of the country’s leading educational institutions are involved in the 13 ‘Responsible AI’ projects approved by the government. The objective of these projects is to develop technology within India capable of instantly identifying deepfakes and effectively removing them from all platforms.

‘Saakshya’ Project

IIT Jodhpur and IIT Madras are collaborating to develop a multi-agent deepfake detection framework named ‘Saakshya’. This system is designed to identify AI-generated fake videos and photos with greater accuracy.

AI Analyst

‘AI Analyst’ is a project being developed to detect fake audio and video content. It utilizes AI to examine media files and determine whether they have been tampered with or altered in any way.

New System to Detect Fake AI Content

The government has also directed social media companies to employ AI-based automated tools and other technological methods to identify illegal AI content in a timely manner and ensure its immediate removal from their platforms.

Strengthening India’s Preparedness Against Deepfakes

The government believes that these indigenous AI projects and new regulations will enable India to tackle threats like deepfakes more effectively than before. Moreover, this initiative is considered a crucial step toward making the online world safer and more trustworthy through prompt action, accurate identification of AI content, and advanced detection technologies.