In a candid revelation during the BJP’s Diwali Milan program, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the looming threat of deepfakes, identifying them as a significant menace to the Indian system. Emphasizing the potential for chaos within society, PM Modi urged both citizens and the media to exercise heightened vigilance in the face of artificial intelligence’s misuse for deepfake technology.
PM Modi’s concern comes on the heels of a comprehensive investigation by India Today into the perils posed by deepfakes, particularly their impact on electoral democracy during ongoing assembly elections. The investigation shed light on the challenges to discerning authenticity, with manipulated images, fabricated video clips, and artificial voiceovers targeting political figures.
Drawing attention to a specific instance, PM Modi referenced a deepfake video depicting him engaging in Garba, a traditional dance. Describing the video as “very real,” he clarified that he hasn’t participated in Garba since his youth. The video, later fact-checked by India Today, featured a lookalike actor named Vikas Mahante, not the Prime Minister himself.
PM Modi’s call for vigilance aligns with the broader concern of the media’s responsibility in educating the public about the growing problem of deepfakes. The Prime Minister emphasized the imperative need for citizens and media alike to remain cautious in the face of evolving technological threats.
