What You Need to Know About India's New Deepfake Regulation Bill
Introduction of the Deepfake Regulation Bill
New Delhi: A Private Member's Bill aimed at establishing a comprehensive legal framework for the regulation of deepfakes has been presented in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shrikant Shinde, a leader from Shiv Sena, seeks to safeguard citizens by requiring prior consent from individuals featured in deepfake materials.
"The rise in the misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception, and misinformation has created an urgent need for protective regulations," Shinde stated.
The legislation outlines penalties for those who create or share deepfake content with malicious intent.
"As artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies advance, deepfake technology has become a powerful tool for media manipulation. While it has beneficial applications in education, entertainment, and creative sectors, its misuse poses significant risks to individual privacy, national security, and public trust," Shinde elaborated in the Bill's objectives.
The proposed legislation aims to create a clear legal structure governing the creation, distribution, and use of deepfakes in India, according to Shinde, who has served three terms in the Lok Sabha representing Kalyan.
Additionally, the Bill proposes the formation of a Deepfake Task Force, which will focus on addressing national security concerns and assessing the impact of deepfakes on privacy, civic engagement, and potential electoral interference.
This task force will work alongside academic institutions and private sector organizations to develop technologies capable of detecting manipulated content, thereby enhancing credibility in digital media.
Furthermore, the Bill suggests the establishment of a fund to support initiatives in both the public and private sectors aimed at detecting and deterring advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a parliamentary procedure that allows lawmakers who are not part of the government to bring attention to issues that may not be adequately addressed in government legislation or to highlight gaps in existing laws that necessitate legislative action.