Deepfake tech: The National Commission for Women (NCW) and Cyberpeace joined forces for a crucial consultation at the India International Centre, centred on Navigating Deepfakes: Collaborative Strategies for Safer Cyberspace.In-depth Exploration with Diverse ExpertsThe event drew together a diverse group of participants, including cyber experts, judicial authorities, law enforcement officials, policymakers, and academia. Three key focal points dominated the discussion: understanding deepfake technology, addressing policy and ethical considerations, and examining the accountability of social media platforms.Urgent Call for Awareness and ActionNCW Chairperson, Rekha Sharma, underscored the urgent need to raise awareness among women about the evolving threat of deepfakes. She called on law enforcement to expedite cybercrime cases and advocated for empowering women in the tech domain.Rising Cybercrime StatisticsB Shankar Jaiswal, Joint Commissioner of Cyber Cell Delhi, highlighted the alarming surge in cybercrime over the past year, accompanied by a notable increase in cybercrime reporting. Neelakshi Jain introduced a system to differentiate between original and deepfake videos, showcasing user-friendly tools in development to identify deepfake content.Legal Perspectives on Non-consensual UseLegal experts, including Jyoti Maheshwari from Delhi Judicial Academy, engaged in discussions about the non-consensual use of womens images. Deliberations on Data Protection and Privacy (DPDP) rules related to deepfakes explored the impact and challenges of implementation.Global Strategies and Community BuildingExperts delved into global policies and the challenges in executing them. They advocated for community building to foster online spaces for sharing experiences and providing support for online safety. Representatives from Meta and Zoom India emphasised the need for common standards across industries and greater investment in user safety awareness.Towards Robust Technological MechanismsS Govind, Former CEO of NIXI, Government of India, stressed the need for robust technological mechanisms and advanced detection solutions. Major Vineet concluded the session, highlighting the necessity for a multi-stakeholder partnership involving government entities, civil society organisations, industries, platforms, and academia.Looking AheadChairperson Rekha Sharma aptly concluded the session, stating that combatting deepfakes demands a deep dive into the subject matter. NCW expressed its commitment to organising more regional consultations in the foreseeable future.
