Centre tightens social media rules, warns of 3-year jail term, Rs 1 lakh fine after Deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna

A day after a deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna went viral on social media, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) has issued an advisory to social media platforms, highlighting the legal regulations governing deepfakes and the potential consequences associated with their creation and dissemination.

Citing Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the government advisory stated, "Whoever, by means of any communication device or computer resource cheats by personating, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to one lakh rupees." For the unversed, Section 66D relates to 'punishment for cheating by personation by using computer



resource'. 

Yesterday,  Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar had assured that the Narendra Modi government is committed to ensuring safety and trust for Indians. "The Narendra Modi-led government is committed to ensuring the Safety and Trust of all DigitalNagriks using the Internet. Under the IT rules notified in April, 2023 - it is a legal obligation for platforms to ensure no misinformation is posted by any user; and ensure that when reported by any user or govt, misinformation is removed in 36 hours; If platforms do not comply with this, rule 7 will apply and platforms can be taken to court by aggrieved person under provisions of IPC; Deep fakes are latest and even more dangerous and damaging form of misinformation and needs to be dealt with by platforms", tweeted the IT minister.