Deepfake technology: how and why China is planning to regulate it
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Deepfake technology: how and why China is planning to regulate it
Subject :Science and Technology
- The Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s cyberspace watchdog, is rolling out new regulations to restrict the use of deep synthesis technology and curb disinformation.
- Deep synthesis is defined as the use of technologies, including deep learning and augmented reality, to generate text, images, audio, and video to create virtual scenes.
- One of the most notorious applications of the technology is Deepfakes, where synthetic media is used to swap the face or voice of one person for another.
About Deepfake Technology
- A deepfake is a digitally forged image or video of a person that makes them appear to be someone else.
- It is the next level of fake content creation that takes advantage of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- Artificial intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.
- It can create people who do not exist and it can fake real people saying and doing things they did not say or do.
Origin of the term:
- The term deepfake originated in 2017, when an anonymous Reddit user called himself “Deepfakes.”
- This user manipulated Google’s open-source, deep-learning technology to create and post pornographic videos.
- The videos were doctored with a technique known as face-swapping. The user “Deepfakes” replaced real faces with celebrity faces.
How this technology is being misused?
- Deepfake technology is now being used for nefarious purposes like –
- Scams and hoaxes,
- Celebrity pornography,
- Election manipulation,
- Social engineering,
- Automated disinformation attacks,
- Identity theft and financial fraud..
China’s new policy to curb deepfakes:
- China’s new policy requires deep synthesis service providers and users to ensure that any doctored content using the technology is explicitly labelled and can be traced back to its source.
- The regulation also mandates people using the technology to edit someone’s image or voice, to notify and take the consent of the person in question.
- When reposting news made by the technology, the source can only be from the government-approved list of news outlets.
- Deep synthesis service providers must also abide by local laws, respect ethics, and maintain the “correct political direction and correct public opinion orientation”, according to the new regulation.
Global Efforts to regulate Deepfake technology
- European Union
- The EU has an updated Code of Practice to stop the spread of disinformation through deepfakes.
- The revised Code requires tech companies including Google, Meta, and Twitter to take measures in countering deepfakes and fake accounts on their platforms.
- They have six months to implement their measures once they have signed up to the Code.
- If found non-compliant, these companies can face fines as much as 6% of their annual global turnover.
- United States
- In July 2021, the US introduced the bipartisan Deepfake Task Force Act to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to counter deepfake technology.
- The measure directs the DHS to conduct an annual study of deepfakes – assess the technology used, track its uses by foreign and domestic entities, and come up with available countermeasures to tackle the same.
- India
- In India, currently, there are no legal rules against using deepfake technology.
- However, specific laws can be addressed for misusing the tech, which include Copyright violation, Defamation, et.
- Canada:
- Canada does not have any regulations regarding deepfakes but it is in a unique position to lead the initiative against deepfakes.
- The government of Canada has employed cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence(AI) research with a number of domestic and foreign actors