AI-generated videos featuring Bollywood A-listers Aamir Khan and Ranveer Singh have gone viral on social media, falsely showing them criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and endorsing the opposition Congress party.
The videos, which have gathered over half a million views, are the first known instance of deepfake technology being used during the Indian electoral process, which began last Friday and is set to continue until June.
The 30-second clip featuring Khan and a 41-second video of Singh portray the actors as unsatisfied with Modi's tenure, accusing him of failing to fulfill campaign promises and address key economic challenges. Both videos conclude with the Congress party’s election symbol and slogan, urging viewers to "Vote for Justice, Vote for Congress." This misuse of deepfake technology underlines the potential hazards such technologies can pose in swaying public opinion through fabricated endorsements by popular figures.
Both actors have confirmed that the clips are fake. Further, platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) along with several fact-checking websites have flagged the videos as manipulated media. However, the clips' circulation highlights the significant impact and challenge of controlling AI-generated content in large-scale elections like India's, where social media plays a crucial campaigning role.
A Congress spokesperson, Sujata Paul, admitted to sharing the deepfake video of Singh on X, where it was viewed 4,38,000 times before being removed after media inquiries. Mumbai police are now investigating the creation and distribution of these fake videos following a complaint filed by Khan. This probe aims to address the misuse of digital likenesses and prevent further misinformation. As the investigation continues, Facebook reported removing the flagged videos, although remnants of the content linger online, revealing the ongoing struggle against digital misinformation.
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