HC tells Centre to file status report on deepfake

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Centre to file a status report on measures taken to counter the growing threat of deepfake technology.

The Bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressed concern over the rise of deepfakes and asked if the government planned to form a high-powered committee to suggest solutions.

The Bench urged that the negative aspects of the technology be mitigated while retaining its positive uses.

Deepfake technology, which manipulates videos, audio and images to present misleading content, has become a growing concern. The Bench acknowledged the challenge of regulating artificial intelligence (AI) while noting that some industries have begun raising awareness about its risks.

The petitioners — journalist Rajat Sharma and advocate Chaitanya Rohilla — argued that India lacks strong regulations to combat deepfakes, highlighting the impact on society, particularly women.

Sharma’s PIL called for blocking access to software and platforms that enable deepfake creation, citing threats to public discourse and democracy.

The petition also raised concerns about the government’s delay in enacting regulations, despite its intent announced in November 2023.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), representing the Centre, stated that it is examining the issue and referred to the recently notified Digital Personal Data Protection Act-2023 as part of its efforts. However, the ministry clarified that it cannot monitor or block online content independently and must follow legal procedures for such actions.

The court has given the Centre three weeks to file a detailed status report and will resume the hearing on November 21.