The Bombay High Court has recently come out in a very vocal position on the issue of the increasing threat of deepfake videos by citing a recent example of a misuse of the persona of actor Suniel Shetty.
The court termed the same as a depraved violation of technology, and there was a critical need to entrench more powerful laws to combat such computer crimes in India.
The case came into the limelight when a deepfake video involving a Bollywood actor was leaked online, placing the actor in a false context.
The video bears features of an easy and accessible use of deepfake technology, which caused the spread on the social media platforms, provoking outrage and concern about the widespread use of artificial intelligence.
It was during the hearing of the case that the court on its side condemned the potential damage such a video can cause to the reputation of the individual as well as the invasion of the privacy of such an individual.
It also noted that the fact that the AI tools are used to make fake pictures or videos that not only infringe on the individual rights but also may lead to emotional and even professional harm should not be overlooked.
The incident as presented by the bench indicates that AI generated content is becoming an even greater challenge to detect and control.
The judges pointed out that when the use of technology is not done responsibly, it may cause serious social and legal implications.
Court encouraged central and state governments to apply urgent measures to regulate the creation of deepfakes and their distribution, such that people should be able to file a lawsuit in such instances.
Over the past few recent years, there has been an increase in incidences of deepfaking celebrities, politicians, and influencers in India. According to experts, with the further development of generative AI tools.
it is becoming more difficult to differentiate between the actual and the fake images.
This is powerfully perilous to internet security and cyber trust.
Legal analysts feel that this is a groundbreaking case by the high court in Bombay, which would have been used as a precedent in future cases related to the abuse of AI.
The highly democratic language by the court signifies the development of judicial consciousness on the necessity of ensuring the protection of individuals who should not be unscrupulously used as digital materials.
Cyber law experts have also insisted on revising the current IT laws to deal with the threat of the technology of deepfakes.
They propose that there should be more severe fines on authors and publishers of such false information and more effective ways of quick removal of hate speech on the Internet.
To a normal user, this case acts as a wake up call to ensure that they are careful about what they watch or post over the internet.
Deepfakes are not a mere source of entertainment, but they may be a device of deceit, harassment, and defamation.
The statements by the court indicate that technology is supposed to uplift man rather than to milk him.
To keep up with AI, cybersecurity, and digital rights updates and news, follow Hacking Bharat, the source of reliable technology information and news in India.
