Analysing the Impact of Advisory on Deepfakes: User Engagement, Effectiveness, and Future Directions

Deepfakes involve the non-consensual use of AI to create synthetic voices, images, or videos, often for harmful purposes like producing sexual content, committing fraud, and spreading misinformation. This misuse has surged, posing threats to privacy, financial security, and democratic process. MeitY has issued advisories and proposed amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, to combat deepfakes and misinformation, emphasising adherence to Rule 3(1)(b), which mandates digital platforms to prevent the spread of prohibited content.

The advisory recommends ‘consent popups’ to warn users about AI-generated content and stresses clear communication about the consequences of engaging with unlawful information. It also suggests labelling synthetic content through metadata, although some responsibility for curbing misinformation appears to shift to users. However, given the fast-evolving nature of deepfake technology, these measures may not be sufficient. Therefore, the project aims to explore the impact of such interventions on consumers and platforms and possible ways forward.

What’s New

• Project Brief