Deepfake: The Digital Nuclear Weapon in Indian Politics and Society

Imagine a world where your favourite public figures, from politicians to celebrities, to entrepreneurs, can be made to say or do anything with the click of a button.

It sounds like something out of a sci-fi thriller, but with the rise of deepfake technology, this dystopian scenario is becoming all too real. In an era where technology seems to blur the lines between reality and fiction, the emergence of deepfake technology poses a significant threat to the integrity of information, political stability, and societal trust.

Deepfakes, AI-generated hyper-realistic videos and images, have proliferated across the internet, raising concerns about their potential misuse and impact on various aspects of society. These hyper-realistic, AI-generated videos and audios manipulate existing footage to make it appear as if someone said or did something they never did. In India, where misinformation has been a longstanding issue and spreads like wildfire, the threat of deepfakes looms large, with implications reaching far beyond the digital realm.

Understanding Deepfakes: How They Work?

Deepfakes utilize artificial intelligence algorithms to manipulate or superimpose faces and voices onto existing videos or images, creating convincing yet entirely fabricated content. These manipulated visuals are often indistinguishable from genuine footage, making them a potent tool for spreading misinformation and propaganda. The technology behind deepfakes has advanced rapidly in recent years, fueled by the exponential growth of data and computing power, making it accessible to even those with limited technical expertise

Perhaps you've seen it in your social media feed or the headlines – those videos where celebrities and politicians appear to say or do things that make you pause for a moment.

Let's understand this through real cases and incidents and the potential dangers of this technology.

India has become a breeding ground for deepfakes, with incidents targeting celebrities, politicians, and ordinary citizens.

Recently, a deepfake of Bollywood actress Rashmika Mandana went viral. The deepfake video, which looked very real, triggered a debate around the misuse of technology, sparking outrage and highlighting the vulnerability of women in the digital space. Rashmika Mandanna is not the only celebrity to fall prey to the menace of deepfake videos as celebrities like actors Alia Bhatt, Kajol, Deepika Padukone, etc., went through the same ordeal.

Did you know? An alarming 98 percent of all deepfake videos contain explicit content, with 99 percent of them targeting women.

Source- Home Security Heroes

A deepfake video of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar endorsing an online gaming app scam emerged, showcasing the potential for financial fraud.

Most strikingly, even the Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy, India, Narendra Modi, was not spared by deepfake, with a video portraying him making inflammatory remarks causing controversy. The songs purportedly 'sung by him' have also become a viral sensation on social media.

And all these are cases of celebs, having followers backing them, having resources and support to defend them.

But consider the case of any normal citizen or a small business owner whose reputation was tarnished overnight by a deepfake video falsely implicating them in criminal activity.

How can innocent individuals defend themselves against such malicious attacks?

How can they protect their livelihoods in an era where truth itself can be manufactured at the click of a button?

We must remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding our shared reality from the insidious influence of deepfakes.

Deepfake & 2024 Election: The upcoming threat we need to be prepared for!

Almost every Indian election in the past few decades has integrated new technology into the campaign process, from phone calls in the 1990s to holograms in 2014. Poll season in 2014 was dominated by Facebook and Twitter. In 2019, the election campaign centred around WhatsApp. It's evident that voters can be tricked and perplexed by ever-evolving technology.

As India prepares for its next general election in 2024, deepfakes are changing the political story game.

With more than 900 million eligible voters in India, and how politicians and parties are leveraging social media as a key battleground for shaping public opinion, the potential influence of deepfake videos on election results cannot be ignored.

How might deepfakes affect important elections and the trajectory of geopolitics?

AI and deepfake make the creation and spread of disinformation faster, cheaper, and more effective!

And this has led to a sharp increase in deepfake videos, rising more than fivefold (550 %) since 2019 .

Picture waking up to find a viral video of your country's leader or your favourite leader making controversial statements that were never uttered. This nightmare scenario is the reality of deepfake threats in political campaigns.

This dissemination of fabricated videos or audio recordings could not only sway voter sentiment but also undermine the legitimacy of election outcomes. Furthermore, the use of deepfakes in political campaigns could further polarize an already divided electorate, exacerbating social tensions and undermining democratic norms.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to deepfakes as a "new age sankat" in a recent speech.

Modi has said Deepfake videos are a "big concern," and authorities have warned social media platforms they could lose their safe-harbour status that protects them from liability for third-party content posted on their sites if they do not act.

Defending Truth: Strategies Against the Deepfake Threat

Addressing the threat posed by deepfakes requires a multi-faceted approach and India is taking steps to address the deepfake challenge. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is working on regulations to curb deepfakes. Social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube are developing detection and prevention technologies. Tech companies are exploring Deepfake watermarking and other authentication methods. However, these efforts need to be comprehensive and coordinated to tackle the issue effectively.

In conclusion, raising awareness through public campaigns and promoting media literacy are essential to help individuals critically assess online content. The next time you see a sensational video or image circulating on social media, pause and take a moment to verify its authenticity before sharing or trusting it. In a world where reality can be easily manipulated, cultivating critical thinking and scepticism is paramount. By staying vigilant and discerning consumers of information, we can work together to combat the threat of deepfakes and uphold the integrity of our digital realm.

Let's not passively watch truth erode and actively safeguard our digital world.

Study Materials and References-

1. Study Material:

• Deepfake Scam: Company Loses Over Rs 200 Crore After Fake Video Call from CFO
• Ai Deepfakes in the 2024 US Election

2. References:

• The Proliferation of Deepfakes Has Shrouded India's 2024 Polls in Uncertainty
• Deepfake Onslaught in 2023: The Year Nobody Could Dodge the Fake, Including PM Modi
• How Deepfakes Affect Elections in UK, USA, India, South Korea, Argentina

Article by Anurag Tripathi

Research & Thumbnail by Meka Naveen