eci-issues-directive-to-combat-deepfakes-in-political-campaigns

In a bid to curb the dissemination of deepfake videos and audios during political campaigns, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a significant directive to all national and state political parties. 

 

The directive, sent via letter, mandates parties to swiftly remove any deepfake content within three hours of notification.

 

Parties are instructed against the use of their social media platforms for publishing or spreading synthetic information or misinformation that could deceive the public.

 

The move comes on the heels of mounting concerns over the potential impact of deepfakes on the electoral process, prompting a delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by the current IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, to approach the Election Commission seeking urgent measures to address this issue.

 

The directive outlines strict guidelines, prohibiting parties from impersonating individuals or entities, including other political parties, on social media. 

 

However, it remains ambiguous how satirical or parody accounts will be treated under these regulations.

 

To enforce compliance, the Election Commission has highlighted existing legal provisions, including sections from the Information Technology Act, the Representation of People Act, and the Indian Penal Code.

 

Parties are also instructed to report unlawful information and fake user accounts to the respective social media platforms, with further escalation to the Grievance Appellate Committee if necessary.

 

Despite these measures, questions linger regarding the definition of terms such as 'deepfakes' and 'misinformation' under Indian law, adding complexity to the enforcement of these directives.

 

Concerns have also been raised regarding the potential erasure of archival content and the necessity for labeling manipulated media instead of outright removal.

 

Further, the recent PILs and court directives have pointed out the urgency of addressing this issue, prompting calls for proactive measures from both social media platforms and the Election Commission.

 

A group of lawyers, known as Lawyer's Voice, has urged for swift action in blocking deepfakes and misleading content, along with the establishment of dedicated teams to address reports of such content round-the-clock.