Deepfake menace: Priyanka Chopra becomes latest target, altered audio goes viral

As the Indian government ramps up efforts to combat the surge in deepfake videos, another prominent Indian actor, Priyanka Chopra, has become the latest victim. Following instances involving Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt, a deepfake video featuring Priyanka Chopra has gone viral, adding to the growing challenge.

In this deceptive video, Priyanka Chopra is portrayed endorsing a brand and revealing her annual income. Unlike previous cases where actresses faced deepfake controversies over objectionable content, Priyanka's situation involves the replacement of her voice and original lines with fictitious brand promotion dialogue.

Screengrab of Priyanka's Deepfake video

This incident follows closely on the heels of the viral deepfake video featuring Alia Bhatt, where her face was superimposed onto another individual in a compromising scenario. The alarming rise in such incidents has prompted the Indian government to take decisive action.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar recently held a discussion with social media platforms to assess their progress in addressing misinformation and deepfakes. The minister emphasised that advisories would be issued within the next two days, ensuring full compliance from all platforms. 

In a post on X, the minister wrote, “A new amended IT Rules to further ensure compliance of platforms, and safety & trust of Digital Nagriks is actively under consideration”.

Held the 2nd #DigitalIndiaDialogues on Misinformation and #Deepfakes with intermediaries today, to review the progress made since the Nov 24 meeting.

Many platforms are responding to the decisions taken last month and advisories on ensuring 100% compliance will be issued in… pic.twitter.com/fEiTTMUGQU

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) December 5, 2023

According to PTI, while most social media platforms have reportedly complied with the regulations, those lagging behind are being granted additional time. The government's commitment to maintaining a "zero-tolerance policy" on user harm resulting from misinformation and deepfakes is reiterated. 

Furthermore, it has been disclosed that a section under the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) allows for the prosecution of deepfakes under the category of "forgery." The ongoing battle against deepfakes underscores the urgency of reinforcing cybersecurity measures to protect public figures and the digital landscape.