Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Artificial intelligence is becoming both a boon and bane; the proliferation of deepfake videos and photos is causing widespread havoc. The surge in deepfake technology has given rise to a wave of fraudulent activities, particularly in the realm of image manipulation. Morphing, a popular method employed by fraudsters, has become a serious concern for individuals targeted by these deceptive practices. To gauge the sentiments of tech-savvy youth, Free Press spoke to a few people.
Naman Deshmukh, founder of Tech Plus Gadgets, said, “Deepfake technology, while immensely advanced and beneficial in fields like movies, advertisements, marketing or so much more. However, it lacks regulations, which is leading to a widespread misuse of it. Individuals with minimal expertise are both utilizing and misusing this technology. While I acknowledge it in terms of advancement, there is a need for regulations to ensure transparency, allowing people to distinguish between authentic and deepfake-generated content.”
Yashika Singh, a student, said, “Upon discovering a deepfake video targeting a celebrity, my immediate response was to set my social media account to private. They are celebrities, they can still tackle the humiliation, but the general public can’t. I believe there’s a crucial need for laws addressing deepfake technology to safeguard individuals from potential harm and maintain online security.”
Addressing a menace, Purnima Solanki, a lawyer, said, “Victims of deepfake attacks can file complaints with cyber cells, leveraging existing cyber laws to combat fraud. Although there might not be specific legislation for deepfake-related offenses, pursuing cybercrime charges and defamation cases offers a robust legal recourse against those attempting to tarnish one’s image.”
Cases might have taken place in MP, but none reported
State cyber cell SP, Vaibhav Shrivastav told Free Press that, as of now, Madhya Pradesh has not reported a single case of deepfake incident, although such cases may have occurred but remain unreported. He further said that Central government is considering the formulation of a law specifically addressing regulations related to artificial intelligence (AI).
