The Indian government has acknowledged the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to be misused for malicious purposes. With the rising cases of deepfakes in the country, the government now considers it as a major threat to democracy and has prioritized tackling this issue.
Deepfakes are AI-generated videos or audio recordings that are manipulated to make it appear as if someone is saying or doing something they never did. They can be used to spread misinformation, damage reputations, and sow discord.
In a recent meeting with key representatives from social media platforms, AI companies, and professors in the field of AI technology, India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the government is taking the threat of deepfakes very seriously and is working on a plan to counter them.
The government is focusing on four key objectives:
- Identifying deepfakes and misinformation: The government is working on developing tools and techniques to identify deepfakes and misinformation.
- Preventing the spread of deepfakes: The government is working with social media platforms to prevent the spread of deepfakes.
- Creating a platform to report deepfakes: The government is creating a platform where people can report deepfakes they encounter.
- Raising public awareness: The government is raising public awareness about the dangers of deepfakes.
The government is also considering legislation to regulate deepfakes. However, it is important to strike a balance between protecting people from harm and ensuring freedom of speech.
The government’s efforts to tackle deepfakes are a welcome step. Deepfakes are a serious threat to democracy and it is important to take action to mitigate this risk.
About the Government of India
The Government of India is the supreme governing authority of the Republic of India. It comprises the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The President of India is the head of state, the Prime Minister of India is the head of government and the Supreme Court of India is the custodian of the Constitution of India.
