Syed Imran Haider 
China has decided to get sturdy in the control of Deepfakes. For this, it will roll out first-of-its-kind rules around Deepfakes as it builds up its supervision over online content. The Chinese administration has introduced some regulations governing emerging deep synthesis technologies. For instance, these rules prohibit people from disseminating fake news. They will have to obtain user consent to make digitally-altered photos.
Synthetic media uses Artificial Intelligence to manipulate photos and videos. With such an ability to deploy personalities, Deepfake has created several significant concerns for Beijing. The government is firm in ramping up control over internet content. The rules concerning Deepfake look after the use of deep synthesis technology in early 2023.
What are Deepfakes?
Deepfakes refer to synthetically-generated or altered photos and videos that individuals can make with Artificial Intelligence. Synthetic technology with tech can modify existing videos, for instance, by making a fake speech or putting the face of a celebrity over an existing clip. It results in fabricated media seeming real, though it is not.
China began working on rules related to deep synthesis technologies earlier in 2022, but they could not finalize until December. Now the government will bring them into effect on 10 January 2023.
Key Provisions of the Regulations
Beijing has sought to harness the power of the technology giants. It presented sweeping rules in areas such as antitrust and data protection. However, the country has pursued regulating increasing technologies and taken more tech steps than any other country.
The Cyberspace Administration of China regulates the rules to avoid the pessimistic use of the technology. The Deepfake-related rules require users’ consent if they want the developer to use their image or video in any deep synthesis technology. Deep synthesis services cannot deploy the technology to disseminate fake news.
Deepfake-related regulations require the service providers to authenticate the actual identity of users. Also, synthetic content needs to notify users about the alteration of the photo or video with the help of technology.
Users need to be careful while using content against the existing Chinese laws. Such content endangers national interests and security. It also disrupts the economy and ruins the national image.
China announced a rule about how technology companies can work with recommendation algorithms in another law of its kind.
According to analysts, the law deals with two goals, concerning online censorship and working with regulation around emerging technologies. Chinese management is enthusiastic about cracking down on anti-regime elements that use Deepfake to manipulate senior leaders’ images or videos, such as Xi Jinping and Paul Triolo.
However, these rules also aim to illustrate Chinese authorities’ attempts to tackle firm internet content issues in other countries’ ways. The only purpose is to move ahead of the curve as emerging technologies, including using Artificial Intelligence, start multiplying online.
According to Triolo, the Artificial Intelligence regulations introduced by Beijing aim to keep content rules and regulations and censorship efforts ahead of new technologies. It further indicates that Beijing will continue to forestall the emergence of technologies to use in circumvention of the overall control system.
