Delhi Police Face Roadblocks In Rashmika Mandanna Deepfake Case As Tech Firms Meta And GoDaddy Refuse Key Details

Investigation into the deepfake video of actress Rashmika Mandanna has encountered obstacles as tech companies hosting the video have reportedly failed to provide essential details, hindering progress in the case, say police sources as reported by The Indian Express.

The Delhi Police's Special Cell initiated the investigation after a deepfake video of Mandanna surfaced on social media on 10 November.

The video involved the use of AI editing to superimpose Mandanna's face onto the body of another woman seen entering a lift in a black outfit.

Despite repeated requests and communications, social media giant Meta and tech company GoDaddy, on whose platforms the video was shared, have not cooperated by sharing necessary information, as per sources in the cyber cell.

A senior police officer stated that they detained a man from Bihar, seized his device, and discovered a URL and details of the Instagram reel used to create the deepfake.

However, obtaining information from Meta and GoDaddy has proven challenging.

While Meta responded to the police's initial appeals, the third appeal involving the URL has allegedly been rejected. The police claim that Meta said they don't have data for the account since the suspect deleted it.

GoDaddy reportedly stated they don't have records for the URL hosted on their platform.

The police emphasised that tech companies could aid in decoding the accused's fake identity and VPN details, essential for tracing the creator of the deepfake video.

The lack of cooperation from the tech companies has impeded progress in identifying and apprehending the person responsible.

Meta denied the allegations of non-cooperation, asserting that they are working with the Delhi Police. GoDaddy did not respond to queries from Indian Express.

The officer mentioned that, as of now, the creator of the deepfake video remains unidentified, and the police can only detain individuals who shared the video for questioning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently expressed concerns about the dangers of deepfake technology for society during a virtual G20 summit.