Crisis Averted: Fighting Deepfake Election Disruption

Amidst the vibrant urban landscape of New Delhi, a formal plea surfaced within the esteemed chambers of the Delhi High Court on a midweek day, questioning the rise of fabricated lifelike videos amid the ongoing electoral proceedings of the Lok Sabha.

A panel led by the Respected Acting Chief Justice Manmohan alongside Justice Manmeet PS Arora agreed to earmark the issue for discussion come the following day, provided the petition met the requisite standards.

Veteran legal representative Jayant Mehta, in hastening the request for urgent resolution, revealed that it was put forth by a coalition of legal professionals urging for directives to be issued to the Electoral Commission of India (ECI) to halt the spread of artificially generated videos during electoral periods.

Clarifying the urgency, the legal expert elaborated that with the nationwide electoral frenzy in full swing, these counterfeit videos are being disseminated recklessly, despite previous appeals to the ECI.

The panel acknowledged the existing recourse available on social media platforms through grievance redressal officers and inquired whether the petitioners had utilized such channels. The advocate affirmed that all possible avenues had been explored.

He elucidated that the time delay between action initiation and eventual video removal exacerbates the harm, given the average response time ranging from 24 to 48 hours. The panel expressed its intent to examine the matter diligently and scheduled it for discussion the next day.