A deepfake video featuring Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna has gone viral on social media, sparking concerns about the misuse of AI technology. The deepfake video, which appeared online, depicted someone with Rashmika’s face entering an elevator while wearing a fitted outfit. Several social media users quickly clarified that the video was a deepfake, not genuine.
The “Pushpa” star, Rashmika Mandanna, addressed the situation by sharing a statement on her social media platform. She expressed her distress over the deepfake video and the broader implications of technology misuse, stating, “I feel really hurt to share this and have to talk about the deepfake video of me being spread online. Something like this is honestly, extremely scary not only for me, but also for each one of us who today is vulnerable to so much harm because of how technology is being misused.”
She went on to highlight the importance of having a support system, including family, friends, and well-wishers, in dealing with such situations. “‘Today, as a woman and as an actor, I am thankful for my family, friends and well-wishers who are my protection and support system. But if this happened to me when I was in school or college, I genuinely can’t imagine how could I ever tackle this”, she further wrote.
Rashmika also called for authorities to take action against those responsible for creating the fake video, emphasizing the need to address this issue as a community to prevent further instances of identity theft.
Amitabh Bachchan, who worked with Rashmika in the film “Goodbye,” also called for legal action against such forms of act, stating, “Yes, this is a strong case for legal.”
Now, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar while reacting to this deepfake video said that the government’s commitment is to ensure digital safety for all internet users. He emphasized that platforms should promptly remove deepfake videos within 36 hours of being reported by users or the government. Non-compliance would result in legal action against the platforms and creators under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Chandrasekhar stressed the urgency of addressing deepfakes, which he described as a particularly dangerous and damaging form of misinformation that needs to be tackled by online platforms.
PM @narendramodi ji’s Govt is committed to ensuring Safety and Trust of all DigitalNagriks using Internet
Under the IT rules notified in April, 2023 – it is a legal obligation for platforms to
➡️ensure no misinformation is posted by any user AND
➡️ensure that when reported by… https://t.co/IlLlKEOjtd
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) November 6, 2023
What is Deep Fake?
A deepfake is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) technology that is used to create fake or manipulated videos, audio recordings, or images, often involving the superimposition of one person’s likeness onto another person’s body or voice. The term “deepfake” is a combination of “deep learning” and “fake.”