3 Yrs Jail For Deepfake Rashmika-Style Videos

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a critical advisory to social media platforms, urging them to swiftly remove misleading content generated through artificial intelligence, like deepfake videos, within 24 hours.

This action comes in response to a recent incident where a deepfake video of actor Rashmika Mandanna went viral on various social media platforms.

The government is invoking Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which addresses the punishment for cheating through personation using computer resources. Offenders may face imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of one lakh rupees.

Rule 3(2)(b) of the Information Technology Rules is also referenced in the advisory, mandating the removal of content involving impersonation or artificially manipulated images within 24 hours of receiving a complaint.

Public figures and celebrities, like Rashmika Mandanna, are particularly vulnerable to deepfake technology, which raises concerns about the potential misuse of such content. Amitabh Bachchan, Naga Chaitanya, and others in the film industry have called for legal action against these deceptive videos.

Despite the advisory, the deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna still circulates on social media platforms, emphasizing the challenges in enforcing content removal in a timely manner.