Dynamic governance for dynamic tech

The recognition of the challenge of deepfakes and the proactive initiative by the government is heartening as India seeks to be ahead of the curve

- SIDHANT KUMAR MARWAH

India is now one of the largest connected nations in the world, with more than 850 million active internet users, expected to rise in the coming years. While the internet has proved to be a space for good use cases and empowerment, the proliferation of AI and its application is a watershed phenomenon that also represents a huge challenge. AI is been used to harm users by facilitating financial frauds, cybercrimes, and sharing of misinformation. The most recent addition to this list is the menace of deepfakes. Political leaders and celebrities have been targeted with convincing but entirely fake videos and photos.

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, i a recent speech, said, "If we cannot agree on the veracity of basic facts, debate stops, partisanship hardens, and social solidarity breaks down. Disinformation therefore has the power of impairing democratic discourse forever, pushing a marketplace of free ideas to the point of collapse under the immense weight of fake stories." Social media platforms have long become the town square in our society and polity. Deepfake content, as we have seen, generates a chain reaction throughout social media, lending further credence in the public eye to concocted content. It is entirely conceivable that this is used to manipulate public discourse and create divisions in society.