In a move against the rising tide of misinformation and disinformation fuelled by AI-generated deepfakes and fake content, a coalition of industry players in India has unveiled the Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU) Tipline.
Launched on Monday, this collaborative effort aims to detect and counter AI-generated synthetic media effectively.
Crafted by the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), the DAU tipline provides multilingual support in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Users can submit audio notes and videos to +91 9999025044 via WhatsApp for assessment regarding their authenticity.
Pamposh Raina, Head of the DAU, expressed enthusiasm about this pioneering initiative, stating, “We are thrilled to be launching India’s first tipline to help citizens discern between real and synthetic media. We are working on having a wide set of partners and experts as we head into the elections and beyond.”
This launch aligns with Meta’s broader objective to collaborate with industry stakeholders in the fact-checking ecosystem to combat the proliferation of AI-generated misinformation.
The DAU leverages the expertise of a diverse network of partners, including academicians, researchers, startups, tech platforms, and fact-checkers.
Assessment reports will be promptly delivered to users, with additional access available on the DAU website (www.dau.mcaindia.in) and its WhatsApp Channel (https://bit.ly/dauwachannel), ensuring a centralised source for verified and accurate information.
The significance of this initiative cannot be overstated, particularly in light of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India.
Threat assessments by exposure management company Tenable underscore the inescapable nature of AI-generated misinformation across social media during election time.
Commenting on these looming threats, a Senior Staff Research Engineer at Tenable told a national news agency, “The biggest threats to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are misinformation and disinformation as part of influence operations conducted by malicious actors against the electorate.”
