Regulating Deep Fake technology

(MainsGS3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.)

Context:

• The Cyberspace Administration of China is rolling out new regulations to restrict the use of deep synthesis technology and curb disinformation.
• Under the guidelines of China’s new rules, companies and platforms using the technology must first receive consent from individuals before they edit their voice or image.

Technology of concern:

• Deep synthesis is defined as the use of technologies, including deep learning and augmented reality, to generate text, images, audio and video to create virtual scenes. 
• One of the most notorious applications of the technology is deepfakes, where synthetic media is used to swap the face or voice of one person for another. 
• Deepfakes are getting harder to detect with the advancement of technology as it is used to generate celebrity porn videos, produce fake news, and commit financial fraud among other wrongdoings.

Deepfake technology:

• Deepfakes are a compilation of artificial images and audio put together with machine-learning algorithms to spread misinformation and replace a real person’s appearance, voice, or both with similar artificial likenesses or voices. 
• It can create people who do not exist and it can fake real people saying and doing things they did not say or do.
• Deepfake technology is now being used for nefarious purposes like scams and hoaxes, celebrity pornography, election manipulation, social engineering, automated disinformation attacks, identity theft and financial fraud, cybersecurity company Norton said in a blog.
• For example, deepfake technology has been used to impersonate notable personalities like former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and Hollywood celebrity Tom Cruise, among others.

Countries combat deep fakes:

• The European Union has an updated Code of Practice to stop the spread of disinformation through deepfakes. 
• The revised Code requires tech companies including Google, Meta, and Twitter to take measures in countering deepfakes and fake accounts on their platforms. 
• They have six months to implement their measures once they have signed up to the Code and if found non-compliant, these companies can face fines as much as 6% of their annual global turnover, according to the updated Code.
• Introduced in 2018, the Code of Practice on Disinformation brought together for the first time worldwide industry players to commit to counter disinformation.
• Some States in the United States such as California and Texas have passed laws that criminalise the publishing and distribution of deepfake videos that intend to influence the outcome of an election. 
• In India there are no legal rules against using deepfake technology, however, specific laws can be addressed for misusing the tech, which include Copyright Violation, Defamation and cyber felonies.

Conclusion:

• The policy requires deep synthesis service providers and users to ensure that any doctored content using the technology is explicitly labelled and can be traced back to its source.
• Deep synthesis service providers must also abide by local laws, respect ethics, and maintain the correct political direction and correct public opinion orientation.