Users and platforms hosting deepfake content to be penalised under new law

THE Centre is planning to impose financial penalties on both the creators of deepfakes and the social media platforms where such fake content is hosted, Union telecom and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday, adding that the government will soon introduce a new legislation to curb the menace.

- RAKESH KUMAR

On Thursday, the minister held a meeting with various stakeholders including AI companies and social media firms to thrash out ways to deal with the challenge. "After meetings with social media companies, AI companies, industry body NASSCOM, and professors, we collectively concluded that we need to address this issue with very stringent rules. All of us agreed on four pillars: detection of deepfakes and misinformation, prevention of detected deepfakes and misinformation by removing or reducing their impact, strengthening reporting mechanisms, and increasing awareness,