Consumer Protection and Deep Fakes - Assessing the Rights and Remedies for Victims in India

Abstract: In an era of fast technical improvement, the rise of deep fake technology poses a new and challenging problem for India's consumer protection. Deep fakes, a type of synthetic media developed with artificial intelligence algorithms, may modify audio, video, and images effectively, blurring the borders between truth and fabrication. Deep fakes can have far-reaching ramifications for consumers, including not only financial consequences but also social, psychological, and reputational harm. This topic's importance in the Indian setting cannot be emphasised. India, as a country with a diversified and large consumer base, is seeing an increase in digital contacts and transactions, making consumers increasingly vulnerable to the deceptive nature of deep fakes. Deep fakes pose a severe danger to consumer trust and confidence, ranging from intentionally manufactured marketing and counterfeit items to misinformation campaigns and identity theft.