75 Per Cent Indians Have Encountered Deepfake Content Says McAfee Study

With the rapid advancements in Artificial intelligence (AI) and the technology becoming increasingly affordable and accessible it has also opened floodgates of scams. The most concerning is how deepfakes are being used by cybercriminals. A recent survey by McAfee has revealed that 75 per cent of Indians have encountered deepfake content.

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Spread of deepfakes in India

The data, from research conducted in early 2024 reveals that nearly 1 In 4 Indians (22%) said they recently came across a political deepfake they later discovered to be fake.

Misinformation and disinformation emerged as key concerns for Indians surveyed, with recent incidents involving Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh serving as an example of what could become a widespread issue.

Biggest concerns about deepfakes

When asked what potential uses of deepfakes are most concerning, 55% said cyberbullying, 52% said creating fake pornographic content, 49% said facilitating scams, 44% said impersonating public figures, 37% said undermining public trust in media, 31% said influencing elections, and 27% said distorting historical facts.

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Only 30% confidant to identify deepfake scams

More than half (64%) of respondents say AI has made it harder to spot online scams and only 30% of people feel confident they could tell real from fake if someone shared a voicemail or voice note that was generated with artificial intelligence.

Why deepfake detection is becoming difficult

This rise in the difficulty of discerning truth from fiction has emerged as the ease with which AI can replicate voices and images poses serious concerns about the spread of misinformation. There has been a massive surge in cases of Deepfake scams that impersonate not only consumers but also prominent public figures across spheres such as business, politics, entertainment, and sports.

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This issue is magnified in India, as many people unknowingly forward deepfake content on social media, mainly WhatsApp and Telegram groups, without verifying its origin, causing a multiplier effect.

¡°In this day and age anyone can create deepfakes and cloned audio using readily accessible tools, which takes only a few minutes to create. Recently, India has been witness to an unprecedented surge in cases of Deepfake content of public and private figures. The ease with which AI can manipulate voices and visuals raises critical questions about the authenticity of content, particularly during a critical election year." said Pratim Mukherjee, Senior Director of Engineering, McAfee.

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