In a concerning incident, popular actress Rashmika Mandana has fallen prey to the alarming rise of deepfake technology. A manipulated video, seamlessly replicating her likeness, has gone viral, amassing 2.4 million views, sparking widespread outrage. Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan has joined the chorus of concern, emphasizing the pressing need for stringent legal and regulatory measures to curb the dissemination of such deceptive content online.
Deepfake, a form of synthetic media propelled by artificial intelligence, enables cybercriminals to replace individuals in images or videos with uncanny likenesses, blurring the lines between reality and deception. This incident underscores the urgent necessity for action within the evolving landscape of AI technology.
Millions of people have watched this deepfake video. An Indian journalist, Abhishek Kumar, took on the challenge of identifying the video’s origins and, in response to the findings, urged for the creation of new legal and regulatory frameworks to address the spread of fraudulent content on the internet. Retweeting it, Amitabh wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): “yes this is a strong case for legal.”The video in question was first shared on Instagram on October 8 by a lady by the name Zara Patel. There is no evidence linking Patel to the fabrication of the deepfake video at this time. It’s unclear who created the misleading version or what motivated them. Nonetheless, this instance highlighted a rising problem of bogus videos starring celebrities from a variety of professions, which perpetuate misleading narratives and may cause harm.
A visual comparison of the real and deepfake versions of the video revealed an important distinction. Patel’s face was heavily featured in both interpretations at first. However, about one second into the video, the face takes a dramatic shift, changing into the visage of Rashmika Mandanna, who appeared in the AI-generated deepfake, lending credence to worries about the use of AI for deceitful purposes.The incident is a sharp reminder of the importance of being vigilant when traversing the digital landscape, with deepfake technology offering substantial difficulties to the maintenance of truth and authenticity in the media and online platforms.
