AI rise in social media has given a surge in deepfake videos targeting well-known female actresses. Recently, actress Alia Bhatt became the latest victim of these manipulated videos. These deepfakes had already targeted other famous celebrities – Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif, and Kajol.
Alia’s explicit video circulating online features the actor dressed in a floral short co-ord set while making dirty gestures for the camera.
Rashmika Mandanna was the first female star targeted in such deepfake videos. Several stars, including Amitabh Bachchan condemned such acts and called for strict action against those responsible.
Understanding Deepfake Technology
Deepfake technology involves digitally swapping a person’s face in videos or photos to make them appear as someone else. Consisting of fake videos and images, deepfake poses a serious threat to society by spreading false information. Further, this fake content can also be used for the malicious production of pornographic content.
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Bollywood Actresses Targeted by Deepfake
Several famous Bollywood celebs have become victims of this deepfake technology:
- Rashmika Mandanna: Rashmika Mandanna went through a lot of distress when a viral deepfake video replaced her face with that of Zara Patel, a British Indian Instagram star. Rashmika expressed anger and concern regarding the misuse of technology that allowed for such malicious actions.
- Kajol: Shortly after the Rashmika incident, a video started circulating on media that quickly spread like wildfire. It showed a woman changing clothes with Kajol’s face edited onto hers. The video quickly gained popularity and went viral.
- Katrina Kaif: In an altered photo from the film ‘Tiger 3’, Katrina Kaif Katrina Kaif can be seen involved in a fight with a stuntwoman who was wearing a towel. However, the original photo showed her wearing a low-cut white top and matching bottoms.
- Alia Bhatt: Now, after all these major incidents, Alia Bhatt finds herself entangled in the deepfake controversy. A video has surfaced featuring a girl wearing a co-ord set, with Alia’s face superimposed on it, engaging in inappropriate gestures.
Government’s Response to IT Rule Violations
Meanwhile, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) plans to develop a platform for people to report IT rule violations by social media platforms.
He said, “MeitY will put in place a platform through which the aggrieved people can very easily notify the ministry about the violations. Also, a mechanism will be designed to by the ministry that will assist them in filing FIRs”.
For the unreserved ones, Section 7 of the IT rules addresses with revoking the intermediary status of social media platforms and taking action against them as per the Indian Penal Code if platforms fail to comply.
Potential Risks
However, vigilant internet users have rightfully determined that the girl in the video is not actually Alia Bhatt. These incidents showcase the increasing misuse of technology and the potential risks it presents in a society that heavily relies on digital platforms.
