Regulations have been released by the Beijing-based Cyberspace Administration (CAC) that forbid the production of AI-generated “deepfakes” of people without their consent. The rules also forbid using deep fakes to deceive or insult anyone, or saying anything that can be construed as being against “national interest” or “socialist values.”
Because they use artificial intelligence to produce lifelike videos of people saying and doing things that they did not actually say or do, deepfakes are contentious. This technology has the potential to deceive viewers and harm the characters in the videos.
Due to these worries, deepfakes have also stirred discussion outside of China. To counter fake news on social media, the European Union earlier this year unveiled regulations that limit the use of deepfakes.
But given that they permit their use in programmes like chatbots as long as they are properly identified as artificial inventions, the regulations also imply that China expects deepfakes to be widely employed in the future.
The CAC’s standards cover the usage of deepfakes by internet publishers as well. When utilising deepfakes in their articles, these publishers must take into account China’s additional guidelines for legal online material.
The rules apply to “deep synthesis service providers,” or to platforms that modify online content using deep learning or virtual reality. These prerequisites include the need for precise AI/ML models and algorithms that are continually changed, as well as the requirement to guarantee the security of any data obtained. In order to prevent unauthorised users from abusing the technology, the rules also call for users to register, including the use of their true identities.
The CAC’s laws are designed to make sure that China’s usage of deepfakes avoids any negative consequences and instead helps the nation. Deepfakes are required to “support the healthy growth of online information services and preserve a good ecosystem of cyberspace,” according to the laws.
The effective date of these regulations is January 10, 2023.
Via: Reuters
