Social media companies must remove misinformation within 36 hours, says minister

Social media companies are required to remove any misinformation and ensure that if any misinformation is reported to them by any user or the government, it is taken down within 36 hours, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted on Monday. The comments from the minister came in response to the circulation of a deepfake video of actress Rashmika Mandanna on social media platforms.

Legal Obligation for Platforms

Under the IT rules notified in April 2023, it is a legal obligation for platforms to ensure no misinformation is posted by any user and ensure that when reported by any user or government, misinformation is removed within 36 hours, he said. Deepfakes are the latest and even more dangerous and damaging form of misinformation and need to be dealt with by platforms, he said.

Rashmika Mandanna's Deepfake Video

Mandanna expressed concern over her fake video in circulation. "I feel really hurt to share this and have to talk about the deepfake video of me being spread online. Something like this is honestly, extremely scary not only for me, but also for each one of us who today is vulnerable to so much harm because of how technology is being misused," she said on X, formerly Twitter.

Netizens' Reaction

Netizens claimed the video has been morphed and the actual video is of an Indian-origin person living in the UK. Today, as a woman and as an actor, I am thankful for my family, friends, and well-wishers who are my protection and support system. But if this happened to me when I was in school or college, I genuinely can’t imagine how could I ever tackle this. We need to address this as a community and with urgency before more of us are affected by such identity theft, she said.

Celebrities and Politicians React

Several celebrities and politicians, including Amitabh Bachchan and Milind Deora, have reacted to the video and expressed concern over deepfakes. The circulation of deepfake videos is a growing concern, and it is important for social media companies to take steps to address this issue. By removing misinformation and deepfakes within 36 hours of being reported, social media companies can help to protect their users and prevent the spread of harmful content.