Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has criticized a deepfake video in which he seemingly endorses an online gaming app. In the video, Sachin is seen praising an app that claims to help users make quick money. On X (formerly Twitter), Sachin said, “These are fake videos. I regret that technology is being misused recklessly.”
Before Sachin, several other prominent Indian celebrities have fallen victim to deepfake videos, and Sachin is not the only one speaking out against them. A few months ago, actress Rashmika Mandanna appealed to people not to share her deepfake video, which went viral. In this video, her face was used in a British Indian woman’s Instagram video. This incident sparked a debate in India about the misuse of technology. The actress described the incident as “extremely scary” and urged women to speak out about similar experiences.
Actresses like Alia Bhatt, Kajol, and Katrina Kaif have also been targeted by deepfake videos.
In the fake advertisement featuring Sachin, he is heard saying, “My daughter (Sara Tendulkar) is playing this game that everyone is talking about… she earns 80,000 rupees every day by playing this game. I am amazed at how easy it has become to make good money. This app is completely free.”
The fake advertisement not only uses Sachin’s image but also features a voice similar to his real one. Sachin has urged people to file complaints against such videos, ads, and apps.
On X, he wrote, “Social media platforms need to be alert and respond quickly to such complaints. Immediate action is necessary to prevent the spread of false information and deepfakes.”
Sachin, one of India’s most famous cricketers, retired in 2013 and has been part of several promotional campaigns since.
In response to Sachin’s post, India’s Junior Minister for IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, stated that deepfakes and misinformation generated by artificial intelligence are putting internet users’ safety at risk. He announced that India would soon introduce stricter laws to ensure that social media platforms swiftly remove deepfake videos.
Under India’s IT laws, social media platforms must ensure that “fake information cannot be posted by any user.” Platforms failing to comply with these laws could face legal action.
Chandrasekhar and Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have previously spoken out about deepfakes. In November, Vaishnaw chaired a meeting with representatives of social media platforms and AI companies, during which he stated that the government would soon create a “clear, accountable plan” to combat deepfakes.