Rashmika Mandanna expresses 'gratitude' after Centre issues advisory to social media platforms over deepfake viral video

Actor Rashmika Mandanna took to her social media handle to express her gratitude towards the government's prompt action on the viral deepfake video of hers. This comes after the Centre issued advisory to prominent social media platforms in tracking and removing deepfakes within 36 hours of being reported.

Hyderabad: After the government's stern action on the viral Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake video, the Animal actor expressed her gratitude on her Instagram Stories. This comes after the South actor tweeted about it and demanded regulation on the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence). According to an official statement on Tuesday, the Centre has advised big social media companies to look for misinformation, deepfakes, or anything that breaks the regulations and remove it within 36 hours of being detected.

The event transpired after the discovery of an AI-generated video featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna. It had gone viral on social media and drew the ire of numerous celebrities and politicians. Acting on the online uproar over it, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) issued an advisory to significant social media intermediaries, emphasizing the need for diligent efforts in identifying misinformation, deepfakes that violate the rules and regulations or user agreements.

The statement asserts that social media companies should promptly take action against content that violates the rules and regulations specified under the IT Rules 2021. Furthermore, users were strictly advised against hosting such information, content, or deepfakes. According to the statement, if any such content is reported, it must be removed within 36 hours and necessary action should be taken promptly, adhering to the timeframes dictated by the IT Rules 2021 and access to the content or information should be disabled as well.

Furthermore, in cases of impersonation through electronically altered images, social media companies must take action within 24 hours of receiving a complaint regarding any content. The deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna garnered significant attention and sparked important discussions online, receiving support from various influential celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Mrunal Thakur, Naga Chaitanya, and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar, who voiced their support for the actress, stressing the significance of addressing these issues.