Context

With the upcoming Lok Sabha elections nearby, misinformation, mostly in the form of shallow fakes has gripped the Internet.

• India ranks first in facing the risk of misinformation and disinformation as per the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2024.

What Are Shallow Fakes?

• Shallow fakes or cheap fakes are pictures, videos and voice clips created without the help of AI technology but by simple editing or by using other simple software tools like Photoshop.
• Shallow Fakes are named so because they represent a lower quality of image and video editing when compared to the high end creation of Deep Fakes. Comparatively shallow Fakes can be easily created by using basic online tools and also easily recognisable.
• Technology used: They use simple technology and are manually altered or selectively  manually altered or selectively edited.
  • Example: A conventional edit on a photo, or to change the speech patterns of a video, to  mis-caption or mis-contextualize  an existing image or video etc.

• Shallow Fakes Used For?

  • To create a false proof of identity or address by morphing ID documents like passports, licenses etc
  • To create a fake supporting evidence to support a claim or transaction
  • To produce distorted, morphed and inappropriate images and videos
    • Example: Union minister Smriti Irani in a belly dance outfit.
  • Act as a tool for digital forgery
  • To set and spread political narratives and defaming opponents.
    • Example: A video showed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi singing Shiv Tandav stotra.
  • Sexual blackmailing: Crudely manipulated sexualised images were used to target women by creating  non-consensual sexual or intimate images of women mainly and men.

• Impact: 

  • Snowballing: Tool to spread misinformation and disinformation whereby existing and true information is spun, twisted, recontextualised, reworked and fabricated in varying degrees.
  • On electoral process and democracy: 
    • It influences voter behaviour by shaping their opinions and attitudes towards the candidates and parties. 
    • The spread of Political Propaganda and divisive narratives.
    • It distorts the public perception of political leaders 
  • Spread disharmony and create conflicts: Numerous fake videos and images spread all over the internet targeting specific communities
    • Example: Shahrukh Khan was accused of spitting in a funeral.
  • Create pornographic images: Shallow fakes are often used to create sexualised images of women and defaming them.
    • Example: Rashmika mandanna image morphed. 

• Measures to Be Taken: 

  • Media literacy approach: The SIFT method can be used , which encompasses the following steps ie. Stop (as your emotions are likely being triggered by the images or videos you are seeing), Investigate the source; Find alternative coverage and Trace the original
  • Awareness and literacy campaigns in schools and office spaces.
  • Fact check by the ECI to dispel electoral misinformation
  • Metadata authentication by online platforms: Metadata contains information about a piece of media, such as when it was recorded and on what device thus the metadata embedded in a file can be used to cross-check the origins of the media.
  • Laws: India does not have a specific law on shallow and deep fakes yet but certain  provisions under existing legislations offer both civil and criminal relief.
    • Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000: It is applicable in cases of deepfake crimes that involve the capture, publication, or transmission of a person’s images in mass media thereby violating their privacy.
    • Section 66D of the IT Act:  punishes individuals who use communication devices or computer resources with malicious intent, leading to impersonation or cheating.
    • Sections 67, 67A, and 67B of the IT Act: To  prosecute individuals for publishing or transmitting fakes that are obscene or contain any sexually explicit acts.
    • IPC 1860: Sections 509 (words, gestures, or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 499 (criminal defamation), and 153 (a) and (b) (spreading hate on communal lines) among others.
      • The Delhi Police Special Cell has registered an FIR against unknown persons by invoking Sections 465 (forgery) and 469 (forgery to harm the reputation of a party) in the Mandanna case.
    • Copyright Act of 1957: It can be used if any copyrighted image or video has been used to create shallow fakes