The Indian government, led by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is contemplating introducing a new law to tackle the rising challenges of deepfakes and misinformation. The IT ministry has organized two meetings with social media executives, one focusing on manipulated images and videos and the other on general compliance with IT rules.

Chandrasekhar underscored the potential harm caused by the misuse of the internet and AI, particularly in inciting violence. The government aims to create a robust framework, including potential new legislation, to safeguard the 1.2 billion Indians on the internet from the threats posed by deepfakes and misinformation.

Why does it matter?

The existing IT rules, established in April 2023, empower the government to address nudity and false information issues. The government is proactively engaging with social media companies to address concerns about deepfakes, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed worries about the misuse of technology. The IT ministry has previously reminded social media platforms of their responsibility to combat misinformation and deepfakes following Indian law.