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India Warns Facebook and YouTube to Enforce Rules to Deter Deepfakes
Updated: Jan 5
India's government has issued a warning to social media giants Facebook and YouTube, urging them to enforce rules that deter the spread of deepfakes and content containing obscenity or misinformation.
Two sources familiar with the matter revealed that the warning was delivered by deputy IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar during a closed-door meeting. Despite the implementation of rules in 2022 that prohibit harmful content, many companies have failed to update their usage terms accordingly.
Deepfakes, which are realistic yet fabricated videos created using AI algorithms, have raised concerns globally. India is now taking steps to address this issue by formulating regulations. Chandrasekhar emphasized the need for social media companies to raise awareness among users about the rules, either by reminding them upon login or through other means. Failure to comply may result in the government issuing directives to enforce the rules.
The Indian IT ministry stated that all platforms have agreed to align their content guidelines with government regulations. However, Facebook and Chandrasekhar have not yet responded to requests for comment. Google, the parent company of YouTube, expressed its commitment to responsible AI development and highlighted its robust policies and systems for identifying and removing harmful content.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed concerns about deepfakes and called for global collaboration in regulating AI. Countries worldwide are racing to establish rules for AI regulation, and India has been tightening its regulations on social media companies, considering the nation as a key growth market.
In the past, the Indian government criticized companies for not removing fake news from their platforms, leading to content takedowns. The warning to Facebook and YouTube is part of India's ongoing efforts to combat the spread of harmful and misleading content on social media.
India's government has warned Facebook and YouTube to enforce rules against deepfakes and content containing obscenity or misinformation.
Deputy IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized the need for companies to raise awareness among users about the rules.
All platforms have agreed to align their content guidelines with government regulations.
Source: REUTERS