Manipulated Videos Trigger Investigations as India's Election Campaign Intensifies

As India's election approaches, the use of manipulated videos has become a major concern, with fake clips involving top aides of Prime Minister Narendra Modi causing uproar. These videos have led to police investigations and even resulted in the arrest of some workers from Modi's rival Congress party, signaling the seriousness of the issue as campaigning reaches a fever pitch.

Referred to as India's first AI election by Modi, this campaign season has been marred by the dissemination of videos containing false information and fabricated voices. Modi has highlighted the danger of such fake content, emphasizing that these videos are aimed at stirring up societal tensions and spreading misinformation among the public.

The Indian police, who were already probing the circulation of fake videos featuring Bollywood actors criticizing Modi, are now expanding their investigations to include a doctored online clip involving federal home minister Amit Shah. This video falsely claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party would end specific social guarantees for minorities, a highly sensitive issue that has the potential to influence millions of voters. The spread of manipulated videos has added a new dimension to the election campaign, raising concerns about the use of technology to mislead and manipulate public opinion.