India's Minister Vaishnaw Addresses Deepfake Regulation and Censorship Claims

• •Vaishnaw asserts government actions target only deepfake content, not legitimate posts.
• •Concerns arise over potential censorship following takedowns of independent creators' videos.
• •Proposed IT rule amendments may enhance government oversight of online news content.

Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that the government's actions against online content are solely aimed at deepfake material and not legitimate content. This response comes amid allegations of censorship related to the removal of videos by independent creators, including one concerning a student affected by a CBSE assessment error. Vaishnaw emphasized that protecting public trust is essential and that a new legal framework may be necessary to combat AI-generated misinformation. He noted that while deepfakes constitute a small portion of online content, their potential harm is significant. The proposed amendments to India's Information Technology rules could expand the government's oversight powers over online content, raising concerns about free expression and independent journalism.