Bengaluru Police launch helpline to deal with Deepfake menace

Bengaluru: Bengaluru Police on Saturday launched a dedicated helpline to deal with the deepfake effect menace.

“Don’t hesitate, act fast! If you or someone you know is a victim of deepfake, reach out to Bengaluru city police at 1930. We’re here to safeguard you against digital deception,” the Bengaluru City Police announced on its social media handle.

The department has also released a poster. The police have urged people to contact and register complaint if a person or known people are victims of a deepfake call.

The term "deepfake" refers to a form of synthetic media created through the use of deep learning algorithms, particularly deep neural networks. These algorithms are trained on large datasets of real images or videos to learn patterns and features, enabling them to generate convincing fake content, often involving faces or voices.

Deepfake technology can be used for various purposes, ranging from harmless entertainment and art to more malicious activities such as spreading misinformation or creating forged content. It has gained attention and concern due to its potential to deceive and manipulate by making it appear as though individuals are saying or doing things they never did.

The deepfake videos of actress Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif and Kajol had gone viral triggering serious concerns among the public.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also spoken about the deepfake videos and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and also raised concern.