Exactly a day before voting began in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, a former IAS officer raised serious Bitcoin scam allegations against two senior leaders in the State. Along with the statement to the media, the audio clips of politicians were released as evidence. As expected, the politicians denied the charges. What else will politicians do when scams are uncovered hours before voters are set to march to the polling booth? They would deny vehemently, hoping that voters don’t get swayed against their party. By the following evening, national media was discussing the authenticity of the audio and speculating whether it was deepfake. A formal investigation had started. Meanwhile, the media houses were utilising AI tools to assess the audio. Politicians, celebrities and business leaders always have wealth, connections and government agencies to ensure justice is done if they are wrongfully accused by utilising deepfakes.
Exactly a day before voting began in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, a former IAS officer raised serious Bitcoin scam allegations against two senior leaders in the State. Along with the statement to the media, the audio clips of politicians were released as evidence. As expected, the politicians denied the charges. What else will politicians do when scams are uncovered hours before voters are set to march to the polling booth? They would deny vehemently, hoping that voters don’t get swayed against their party. By the following evening, national media was discussing the authenticity of the audio and speculating whether it was deepfake. A formal investigation had started. Meanwhile, the media houses were utilising AI tools to assess the audio. Politicians, celebrities and business leaders always have wealth, connections and government agencies to ensure justice is done if they are wrongfully accused by utilising deepfakes.
However, what can the common man do when there is a deepfake attack? What if you or your family become victim to the worst form of deepfake attack i.e deepfake porn?
Deepfake statistics worldwide indicate that gender dynamics determine the probability and type of Deepfake attack. If you are a male, the chances of a deepfake porn attack are rather slim. As per State of Deepfakes report of 2023, about 99% of deepfakes are deepfake porn. Of the deepfake porns in circulation, 98% target the women. Men are far more likely to encounter deepfakes focused on siphoning money than tarnishing images. Conversely, if you are a female public figure, say an Instagram influencer, the risks of a deepfake porn attack is exceptionally high. As per data from a Twicsy, an alarming 94% of female Instagram influencers have been victims of Deepfake porns. If you are a male, you are more likely to be targeted in industries like news and politics. Among females, professionals in fashion, beauty or entertainment sectors are preferred targets of deepfake criminals. Further, every increase of 10000 Instagram followers in females leads to an increased risk of about 15.7%. For the super influencers with more than 100 million followers, the susceptibility is a staggering 79%.
What do you do in case you or your loved one is attacked by deepfake porn?
While your industry, followers, and gender enhance the probability of deepfake porn attacks, you aren’t safe merely because you are a low-probability target. The steps you can take in case you find yourself or your family’s deepfakes:-
Your first instinct after finding an objectionable deepfake would be to deny it in your real social media accounts that it’s not you. However, resist the instinct and verify whether that deepfake has spread far and wide. The wisest thing to do after seeing your deepfake porn video is to ensure that your actions don’t spread it further. Posting alert on social media is a surefire way to create inquisitiveness and fuel the spread.
Carefully collect all the deepfakes along with links where they appear. If they are shared on WhatsApp Groups or Telegram, jot down their names in an Excel sheet. After collecting all information along with the timestamp where it appears, you are ready to teach a lesson to the person who originated the deepfake porn. After collecting information, if you feel it’s all over the internet, you can consider posting your clarification on social media along with proof that it’s a deepfake. How can you provide evidence of deepfakery?
There are a lot of AI companies that provide Deepfake detection tools. Right from tools by Big Tech’s like Microsoft to Intel to AI startups like pi-labs, there are a range of options to debunk the deepfake effectively. Utilize one of the software subscriptions and directly post your statement to social media along with the deepfake analysis. It’s essential that you save time putting out your side on digital platforms because many people tend to believe it’s a real video if you don’t deny it quickly enough. So don’t wait too long, but always post with credible proof so that your family, friends and well-wishers are reassured about your reputation. Also, include in the same statement that you are considering legal action and ask everyone to stop spreading it. That would deter individuals from sharing it. However, if you are confident that your deepfake porn is available isn’t yet spread widely, never share a public statement. Don’t call attention to it if it isn’t viral yet. Quietly proceed with legal action.
In almost every district in India, there is dedicated cyber police that assists the local police in tracking down crimes on digital platforms. Approach the police along with details of links and downloaded videos and lodge a complaint. You can also share the report of AI detection tools so that the police cyber team has as much technical information as possible. The police will launch an investigation and arrest the culprit who created your AI Deepfake. Invoke Section 67A of the IT Act and ask your team of lawyers to seek maximum punishment (i.e 5 years imprisonment) while arguing your case in court.
If you aren’t an influencer or public personality required to be active on social media, you can undertake preventive measures to reduce the susceptibility of deepfake crimes against you in future. Ensure that you only add friends who you know personally. Lock your Facebook and Instagram accounts if PR isn’t your goal. In X, which is inherently a public platform, you can avoid posting personal aspects of your life. However, be wary that deepfake audios and videos can be created even with basic input like a 10-20 second audio of real voice or a few minutes of video content. So you aren’t really safe from deepfake porn attacks even if you ensure such basic preventive measures. The most effective preventive measure is to have zero exposure to digital platforms and to not let any audio or video of yourself be uploaded anywhere. Of course, that’s an impractical and unrealistic idea in this digital age. That is the reason why deepfake detection tools are your companions in effectively fighting back a deepfake porn attack.
Deepfake porn attacks are a stark reminder of the ethical challenges posed by advancing technology, threatening personal reputations and societal integrity. While tools like deepfake detection software offer hope, combating this menace requires more than reactive measures—it demands stronger legislation, widespread digital literacy, and collective accountability. Individuals must act swiftly and wisely to minimise harm. Still, the ultimate solution lies in fostering a culture of respect and responsibility online, where technology is leveraged for good and perpetrators face justice without delay. The fight against deepfake abuse is a battle we must all join to protect our digital and human dignity.
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