23 Apr DEEPFAKING ELECTIONS

THIS ARTICLE COVERS ‘DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS’ AND THE TOPIC DETAILS OF “DEEPFAKING ELECTIONS”. THIS TOPIC IS RELEVANT IN THE “ POLITY and GOVERNANCE” SECTION OF THE UPSC CSE EXAM.

Why in the News?

Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has filed a formal complaint with the Mumbai Police Cyber Crime Cell following the emergence of a deep fake video. This fabricated video portrays the actor expressing political views and endorsing a specific political party during his recent trip to Varanasi.

What is Deep Fake?

• Deepfakes represent sophisticated fabricated videos or audio recordings produced through digital tools, machine learning algorithms, and facial substitution methods. These creations result from artificial intelligence systems manipulating original images, videos, or audio recordings of individuals to generate deceptive content. 
• Utilizing generative adversarial networks (GANs), the software refines its inputs and outputs, aiming to blur the line between authentic and falsified material, making it challenging for discriminators to distinguish between the two. Deepfakes can be highly convincing and difficult to detect, posing risks for misinformation, fraud, and privacy violations.

How Deep Fakes Can Impact Elections?

Deepfakes can have a significant impact on elections by spreading misinformation, manipulating public opinion, and undermining electoral integrity. Here are some ways deep fakes could impact elections:

• Misinformation and Manipulation: Deepfakes can be used to create convincing videos of political candidates saying or doing things they never actually did. These fabricated videos can spread rapidly on social media platforms, leading to misinformation and manipulation of public opinion.
• Undermining Trust: Deepfake videos can erode trust in the electoral process by casting doubt on the authenticity of real videos and statements made by candidates. This can confuse voters and undermine their confidence in the political system.
• Smear Campaigns: Deepfakes can be weaponized as part of smear campaigns against political opponents. By creating fake videos depicting candidates engaging in unethical or illegal behaviour, malicious actors can tarnish their reputations and influence voter perception.
• Psychological Warfare: Deep fakes could be employed as psychological warfare tactics designed to trigger fear or anxiety among certain demographics, affecting voter behaviour negatively. For instance, fake news stories portraying violence or civil unrest could deter people from participating in elections.
• Polarization and Divisiveness: The proliferation of deepfake content can exacerbate political polarization and divisiveness by amplifying false narratives and reinforcing existing biases. This can further deepen societal rifts and hinder constructive dialogue during election campaigns.
• Damage to Reputations: Deepfakes can tarnish the reputations of political candidates by portraying them in compromising situations or making them appear to hold controversial views. Even if the content is later proven to be false, the damage to the candidate’s image may already be done.
• Challenges for Fact-Checking: Deepfakes pose significant challenges for fact-checking organizations and journalists tasked with verifying the accuracy of political content. The rapid spread of deep fake videos can outpace efforts to debunk false information, allowing misinformation to gain traction before it can be effectively addressed.

Initiatives Taken By India to Counter Deep Fakes in Elections

The Indian government has taken steps to address the challenges posed by deep fakes and misinformation in several ways:

• Regulations and advisories: The government has issued advisories to social media platforms and tech companies, urging compliance with regulations concerning deepfakes and misinformation. For example, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued an advisory in December 2023, directing social media platforms to adhere to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, particularly regarding deceptive, misleading, or impersonating content.
• Legislation: Recognizing the necessity for a comprehensive legal framework to tackle deep fakes and misinformation, the government plans to develop appropriate legislation following the elections. This may involve amending existing laws or enacting new ones specifically targeting deepfakes and misinformation.
•  Collaboration with tech companies: The Indian government has collaborated with major technology companies, including Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, to combat harmful and deceptive AI-generated content that could disrupt electoral processes. For example, Google has formed a partnership with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to combat the dissemination of misinformation during the general elections. 

• Awareness and education: Efforts are underway to raise awareness about the risks associated with deep fakes and misinformation. The government and various organizations emphasise the importance of fact-checking and fostering critical thinking skills among the public.
•  Fact-checking initiatives: Several fact-checking organizations, such as Alt News, Boom Live, and Fact Crescendo, are actively engaged in debunking deep fakes and misinformation related to elections.
• Technological solutions: Researchers and tech companies are developing AI-powered tools to detect deepfakes effectively. These tools could help identify and remove manipulated content from social media platforms and other digital channels.

International efforts to counter deep fakes

• Tech Industry Accord: Major players in the technology sector are joining forces to address the issue of deceptive AI-generated election content through the proposed Tech Accord. This collaborative agreement aims to develop tools such as watermarks and detection techniques to identify, label, and refute deep fake AI-manipulated images and audio recordings of public figures. 
• Funding for Forensic Techniques: Governments are being encouraged to allocate resources towards the advancement of media forensic techniques designed to detect deep fakes. Initiatives like the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the United States investing in forensic detection techniques highlight the critical need for ongoing funding to stay abreast of evolving deep fake algorithms.
• EU Strategy: The European Union has taken proactive measures to address the issue of disinformation, including deep fakes, by issuing guidelines for defending against various forms of intentional disinformation. These guidelines stress the significance of public engagement and the implementation of measures to assist individuals in discerning the authenticity of content.
• International Organizations: Several international organizations promote awareness about deep fakes’ threats, encourage international collaboration, provide guidance on best practices, and coordinate responses to emerging challenges. One example is the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which coordinates global initiatives to fight cybercrime and online exploitation.

Download plutus ias current affairs eng med 23rd April 2024

Prelims Based Question

Q1. Which of the following Fintech companies launched India’s First indigenously developed AI platform?

(a). Uber

(b). PayTM

(c). Ola

(d). Phonepe

ANSWER: C

Mains Based Question

Q1.What are the potential implications of deep fakes on electoral processes, and how might they impact voter perceptions and decisions? What specific measures has the Indian government implemented to address the challenges posed by deep fakes in elections?

Vikas Agarwal