Indian News Anchor Features In Deepfake Gaming App Ad

Is it real or is it fake? That’s the question that has become more prevalent in today’s high-tech modern media age. A recent example in India involving a deepfake of a news anchor seemingly endorsing a online casino app shows how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to create convincing images, audio, and video as a hoax or to fool the public.

The video in question features a deepfake of Hindi news television anchor Amish Devgan “endorsing” an online gaming app. The video was featured on social media and has a fake Devgan seemingly spelling out the benefits of online gaming.

“We noticed the off-syncing between the audio and the lips movement, which gave us the cue that the video could be a deep fake,” Indian fact-checking service NewsMeter reported. “We then checked the social media accounts of Devgan and also the accounts of News 18 but did not find any posts or articles promoting the app in the claim.

Legislators Consider Taking Action

Deepfakes have become a growing concern recently. Some of these AI-generated images, videos, and sounds have become almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Government officials have noted that these types of creations could be used by bad actors.

The video featuring Devgan shows the newsman detailing how players on the gaming app have a chance to win significant jackpots right from their mobile phones. The video goes on to tell the story of a winner who bought a new car and house after winning.

However, NewsMeter found that the image of Devgan appears to match a previous report on a completely unrelated issue – not involving gaming at all. Creators were able to alter the video so that it can be used for a different purpose.

Deepfakes have drawn headlines for the use of underage victims to produce non-consensual sexually explicit material. In recent days, legislators have sought to criminalize sharing of these types of images. The Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act measure would allow victims to sue creators and distributors of these types of deepfakes while also remaining anonymous.

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