Delhi High Court Calls for Action on Deepfake Regulation

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to form a committee to tackle the rising threat of deepfake technology. This move follows the formation of a committee by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to address deepfake concerns. A report is expected within three months.

The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to the Central government to promptly nominate members to a newly-established committee aimed at addressing the escalating issue of deepfake technology. This initiative comes in response to a notification from the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, which confirmed the formation of the committee on November 20. The court is urging swift action as deepfakes continue to pose significant threats.

A bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela instructed the government to finalize the nominations within a week. The committee is tasked with examining suggestions from petitioners and reviewing international regulations, with a focus on methodologies adopted by the European Union. The court emphasized the importance of gathering input from stakeholders, including victims of deepfakes and digital platforms, to ensure comprehensive recommendations are made.

This development is part of ongoing court proceedings regarding deepfake technology's unregulated nature and potential for misuse. Deepfake creations can manipulate audio, images, and videos to fabricate narratives, causing public confusion. Petitioner Rajat Sharma, among others, highlights the technology's threat to societal integrity, calling for stringent regulations to safeguard against fraud, identity theft, and misinformation campaigns.

(With inputs from agencies.)