NEW DELHI: Concerned over the growing threat from AI-generated synthetic content and deepfakes, govt is considering amendments to the IT law to fix greater accountability on top social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube and X against potential misinformation while also looking to mandate labelling and prominent markers for easier identification by the users.IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday that govt has been getting requests to take steps against synthetic content and deepfakes to contain user misinformation. “In Parliament as well as many other fora, people have demanded that something should be done about the deepfakes which are harming society. People are using some prominent person’s image and creating deepfakes which are then affecting their personal lives, privacy as well as creating various misconceptions in the society. So, the step we are taking is making sure that users get to know whether something is synthetic or real. Once users know, they can take a call. It’s important that users know what is synthetic and what is real. That distinction will be led through mandatory data labelling.”In the note seeking comments from the stakeholders on draft rules regarding synthetic content, the IT Ministry says that it remains committed to ensuring an open, safe, trusted, and accountable internet for all users. “With the increasing availability of generative AI tools and the resulting proliferation of synthetically generated information (commonly known as deepfakes), the potential for misuse of such technologies to cause user harm, spread misinformation, manipulate elections, or impersonate individuals has grown significantly. Recognising these risks, and following extensive public discussions and parliamentary deliberations, IT Ministry has prepared the present draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.”The ministry said the draft rules aim to strengthen due diligence obligations for intermediaries, particularly social media intermediaries (SMIs) and significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs), as well as for platforms that enable the creation or modification of synthetically generated content.The ministry defined synthetically generated information as information which is artificially or algorithmically created, generated, modified, or altered using a computer resource, in a manner that such information reasonably appears to be authentic or true.Through the proposed amendments, govt wants a clear definition of synthetically generated information while mandating labelling and metadata embedding requirements for such information to ensure users can distinguish synthetic from authentic content. Also, it wants visibility and audibility standards requiring that synthetic content be prominently marked, including a minimum 10% visual or initial audio duration coverage. From the intermediaries, it wants ”enhanced verification and declaration obligations”, while mandating reasonable technical measures on their part to confirm whether uploaded content is synthetically generated which should be labelled accordingly.“These amendments are intended to promote user awareness, enhance traceability, and ensure accountability while maintaining an enabling environment for innovation in AI-driven technologies,” the ministry says.Ministry officials said that there can be “appropriate action” against social media intermediaries if they fail to credibly act against such information.The Ministry has sought feedback/comments on the draft amendment to the IT rules by November 6. “Recent incidents of deepfake audio, videos and synthetic media going viral on social platforms have demonstrated the potential of generative AI to create convincing falsehoods – depicting individuals in acts or statements they never made. Such content can be weaponised to spread misinformation, damage reputations, manipulate or influence elections, or commit financial fraud,” said the accompanying explanatory note on the IT Ministry website.Separately, the IT Ministry also took steps to ensure a proper mechanism regarding content takedown requests to social media platforms, mandating only top-level officers for the job. The ministry has stipulated that intimation to social media platforms for removal of ‘unlawful information’ can only be issued by senior officials and would require precise details and reasons to be specified, as it notified IT Rules amendment to streamline content takedown procedures and bring transparency, clarity and precision in actions.Further, all intimations issued under Rule 3(1)(d) will be subject to a monthly review by an officer, not below the rank of secretary of the appropriate government, to ensure that such actions remain “necessary, proportionate, and consistent with law”. Go to Source
