The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued an advisory to social media companies on Tuesday. The advisory reiterated the existing rules, including Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which stipulates punishment for cheating personation using computer resources, with imprisonment of up to 3 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
The advisory also highlighted the IT Intermediary Rules, specifically Rule 3(1)(b)(vii), which requires social media intermediaries to ensure that users do not host any content that impersonates another person. Additionally, Rule 3(2)(b) mandates intermediaries to remove or disable access to any content representing impersonation within 24 hours of receiving a complaint.
This development comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding a deep fake video of Actress Rashmika Mandh had surfaced. The actress expressed her distress at the video and emphasized the potential harm caused the misuse of technology. She urged for communal action to address identity theft issues.
The viral video, depicting a woman resembling the actress entering a lift in a swimsuit, turned out to be a deep fake of a British actress, Zara Patel. This incident has reignited concerns about the spread of deep fake content and the negative impact it can have on individuals.