The recent discussions about the impracticality of draft deepfake rules, as highlighted in reports like those found on PressReader [https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-st-mumbai/20251114/281578066933454], resonate deeply with my long-held perspectives on the evolving nature of information in the digital age. It's becoming increasingly clear that traditional regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace with the rapid advancements in technology, especially with something as fluid and deceptive as deepfakes.
Years ago, I anticipated a world where "All news will become digital" (Redesigning Newspapers). I envisioned a future where news would appear on our bedroom walls or foldable displays, moving far beyond the hard copy. What I perhaps didn't fully foresee then was the profound challenge this digital shift would bring to the very concept of verifiable truth. Deepfakes are the ultimate embodiment of this challenge, blurring the lines between reality and fabrication to an alarming degree.
The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic of digital information and its verification years ago. I had already predicted the outcome or challenge of an entirely digital news landscape, and while I didn't use the term 'deepfake' specifically, I understood the growing need for new ways to categorize and assess information, moving beyond mere geographical or thematic divisions as discussed in my blog Redesigning Newspapers. Now, seeing how things have unfolded with deepfakes, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context.
This is why the work we've been doing on source verification is so crucial. In my recent exchanges with Kishan Kokal, who has been instrumental in integrating Olostep as a web scraping service for IndiaAGI, we've discussed at length the need for robust verification methods. Along with Kishan's efforts, and the collaboration of Sandeep and Sanjivani in managing my blog content, we've explored how to ensure genuine access to original sources. The insights from various LLMs like GPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok, which helped formulate the "Refined Hybrid Method in Action" for source verification with clickable URLs and credibility badges Integration of Web Scraping Tool into IndiaAGI, are precisely the kind of proactive technological solutions needed to combat deepfakes. This method empowers individuals to assess the authenticity of information directly, rather than relying solely on lagging regulations.
As Marshall McLuhan famously observed, "The Medium is the Massage," implying that the medium itself shapes how we perceive information. In our hyper-digital world, the medium is now capable of indistinguishable manipulation. We must adapt our tools and our thinking. Rather than merely chasing after each new iteration of deceptive technology with restrictive rules, we should invest in universal, user-friendly verification tools and foster a culture of critical engagement. My discussions with Kishan and the work on IndiaAGI's verification capabilities are steps in this direction, offering a tangible path forward when regulatory efforts feel impractical.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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