Iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar falls prey to the surge of viral deepfakes spreading across India.

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar recently fell prey to the growing menace of deepfake videos, raising concerns about the proliferation of AI-generated content in the country, especially in the lead-up to the general election. In a widely circulated deepfake video, Tendulkar was falsely portrayed endorsing an online gaming app, with the fabricated claim that his daughter benefits financially from it.

Expressing his dismay, Tendulkar took to social media to denounce the fake video and urged people to be vigilant against the spread of misinformation. This incident follows warnings from other Indian celebrities, including Bollywood stars like Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Rashmika Mandanna, who have also faced similar deepfake experiences.

In response to the escalating issue, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that notices have been sent to social media companies, instructing them to take immediate actions to identify and remove disinformation, particularly deepfakes. The government is actively encouraging social media platforms to proactively address the deepfake content problem.

Deepfakes, involving the AI-based digital alteration of a person’s likeness in audio, video, or image form, have raised ethical concerns, especially when used for commercial purposes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need to understand how AI operates, expressing worry about its potential use in creating misleading deepfakes. With the upcoming elections, there is heightened fear of deepfakes being used to manipulate voters, as demonstrated by a surge in such content globally.

Major platforms like Meta and Google have pledged to address synthetic media by either removing or labeling misleading content. However, critics argue that platforms need to be more responsive and proactive in handling deepfake-related issues.

Deepfake incidents are not limited to India, as they have been reported in countries like Bangladesh and Indonesia during recent elections. The global surge in fake videos online has prompted concerns, with India being identified as the sixth most susceptible country to the deepfake threat, according to the 2023 State of Deepfakes report.

As the Indian government plans to establish regulations regarding deepfakes, the issue remains a significant challenge, especially during election seasons. The minister of state for electronics and information technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has informed social media companies about the government’s intention to issue amendments to the IT Rules in the coming days to address the deepfake problem.