Trust in the digital world during the time of deepfakes

What would your elderly father’s response be if he received an emergency video message from you requesting a large sum of money? The Union government has already sent an advisory to social media intermediaries asking them to strengthen their systems for detecting and taking down deepfakes, and reports suggest that the ministry of electronics and IT is considering amendments to the IT Rules to include specific obligations to contain the deepfake menace. It was in 2017 that deepfake content made its first appearance with a Reddit user named “deepfakes” posting fake videos of celebrities. In India, while no legislation specifically governs deepfakes, existing laws such as the IT Act and the IPC already criminalise online impersonation, malicious use of communication devices and obscene publishing. Social media platforms are also obligated under the IT Rules to take down misinformation and impersonating content; failure to do so means risking their “safe harbour” provision and being liable for the harm that ensues.