India: Women Press Freedom Raises Alarm About Deepfake of Pooja Shali Promoting Bogus Trading App
Women Press Freedom demands authorities immediately regulate use of AI-generated content and deepfake technology to protect journalists
Location: India
Date: May 6, 2024
Women Press Freedom is deeply troubled by the growing misuse of deepfake technology to impersonate and exploit journalists, as highlighted by the recent incident involving Pooja Shali, a respected journalist with India Today and Aaj Tak. The fraudulent video depicting Shali promoting a bogus trading application is a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive measures to protect journalists and the public from digital deception. In the strongest terms, we condemn the unethical manipulation of journalists' identities. Such acts not only mislead the public but also threaten the journalists' safety and professional integrity. This exploitation erodes public trust in the media and compromises the foundational principles of accurate and ethical journalism. We urge Indian authorities and global regulators to swiftly enact and enforce stricter regulations governing the creation and dissemination of AI-generated content. Clear legal frameworks must be established to hold creators and distributors of deceptive deepfake content accountable. We call on technology companies and social media platforms to proactively enhance their detection systems to identify and block deepfake content. These platforms must be held responsible for their role in facilitating the spread of misinformation and are urged to develop more advanced tools to safeguard users against digital fraud.
Women Press Freedom reports a deepfake video has surfaced on social media falsely depicting Pooja Shali, a well-known journalist with India Today and Aaj Tak, promoting a non-existent trading application that misleadingly suggests lucrative investment opportunities with Reliance Industries, owned by Mukesh Ambani, Asia's wealthiest businessman.
“I was shocked to discover that a news bulletin of mine was morphed and misquoted for promotion of a trading app online,” Shali tells Women Press Freedom.
Shali discredited the fake promotion through a series of tweets. "The scam video featuring me on INSTA is a deepfake. Scary! My news bulletin, edited by A.I to attract fraudulent investments. I endorse only real news :) Not such criminal schemes. DON'T SHARE/PAY. BEWARE," Shali alerted her followers.
This disturbing event is part of a broader pattern identified by Women Press Freedom, which has documented a significant increase in the misuse of deepfake technology to exploit the images of journalists. Such incidents not only mislead the public but also pose severe risks to the personal safety and professional credibility of the individuals involved. In the first quarter of this year alone, we recorded more instances of deepfake misuse as we did throughout all of 2023, signaling a worrying escalation in these digital deceptions.
In response to the incident, Shali has taken proactive steps by creating an educational video for viewers of India Today, urging them to be cautious and to critically evaluate online content's credibility. "An original news bulletin of a newscaster is misused to twist the voice and promote unverified, false investments. This is to fool vulnerable users online who may think news anchors endorse these schemes. Be cautious. Be safe. Always double-check where you put your hard-earned money," advised a follow-up tweet from India Today.
This case mirrors similar incidents around the world where journalists' images are manipulated to endorse products or services fraudulently. The rise in such fraudulent activities has prompted Women Press Freedom to push for stringent regulations and for social media platforms and technology companies to implement more robust mechanisms to detect and prevent the spread of deepfake content.
“It was further disturbing to realize that news anchors around the world appear to be facing similar abuse of Artificial Intelligence,” Shali says about the ordeal.
Selection of Deepfake Cases Documented by Women Press Freedom in 2023 and 2024
Jomayvit Gálaga and Verónica Linares: In March 2024, media channel Perú21TV revealed that an AI-manipulated video promoting an investing scheme featuring its reporter Jomayvit Gálaga and other Peruvian celebrities, including América TV’s Verónica Linares, was being shared online.
Susanne Daubner: In February 2024, during Monday demonstrations in Dresden, fake AI-generated audio clips from the Tagesschau news program were played. These recordings contained false apologies purportedly from Tagesschau presenters for alleged "lies” and "deliberate manipulations" in their reports for the ARD broadcasting network. The audio addressed various topics, including the Ukraine conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, and protests. They were played at a Wilsdruffer Street demonstration, where thousands gathered for so-called Monday Demonstrations to protest government policies.
Anjana Om Kashyap: Women Press Freedom found a deepfake video circulating on social media falsely featuring Aaj Tak news anchor Anjana Om Kashyap and distinguished cardiac surgeon Dr. Devi Shetty in a fabricated interview promoting a joint pain relief medication, on February 22, 2024.
Sian Norris: the renowned investigative journalist and advocate for women's rights was subjected to a malicious online attack through the creation of false pornographic profiles and the potential use of deepfake technology in January 2024.
Colette Fitzpatrick: A deepfake Instagram ad, discovered in January 2024, manipulates footage of Virgin Media news anchor Colette Fitzpatrick and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to promote a dodgy investment scheme.
Nair Aliaga: An AI-manipulated photograph depicting Golperú journalist Nair Aliaga without clothing was shared online in December 2023.
Bongiwe Zwane and Francis Herd: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was compelled in November 2023, to clarify that their anchors Bongiwe Zwane and Francis Herd were impersonated in deepfake videos circulating online. These videos, promoting a fraudulent investment scheme, amassed significant attention, with one featuring Herd garnering over 123,000 views on YouTube since its appearance.
Gayle King: In October, 2023, CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King revealed she was the subject of an AI-generated clip that featured her promoting a product she had never used.
Anne-Marie Green: In October 2023, Forbes reported on a popular TikTok account that creates and spreads fake news segments featuring AI-generated appearances from renowned American journalists, including a deepfake video of CBS News anchor Anne-Marie Green discussing a school shooting.
Ksenia Turtova: In October 2023, VOA’s Russian Service discovered a deepfake video featuring its journalist Ksenia Turkova, seemingly presenting a news segment on cryptocurrency. The video used AI-generated content, imitating Turkova's voice and appearance convincingly.
Monika Todova: The Slovakian journalist found herself the victim of a deepfake audio clip in September 2023 that circulated online during a critical pre-election period, underscoring a disturbing trend in which AI technology is being weaponized to undermine public trust in journalism by distorting the truth and spreading falsehoods through seemingly credible yet entirely fabricated audio and visual content.
The misuse of deepfakes is a direct assault on journalistic integrity and a threat to the overall health of public discourse.
“TV news remains an important source of information to the public. I honor their trust, as my duty. This trust is being misused by online trading app scamsters,” Shali tells Women Press Freedom.
According to Shali, women journalists already face relentless online harassment for their courageous reporting. She worries that AI technology, particularly with the misuse of deepfakes, will further target women in the news media, becoming a significant concern beyond just trading apps.
Women Press Freedom has been warning about the increasing misuse of deepfake technology to exploit and misrepresent journalists. This malicious use of artificial intelligence to fabricate content not only undermines the integrity of journalism but also poses significant threats to the safety and credibility of the individuals involved. We urge the Indian government and policymakers worldwide to enact and enforce stringent regulations governing the creation and dissemination of AI-generated content. It is crucial that these regulations hold both creators and platforms accountable, ensuring that they adhere to ethical standards and legal responsibilities to prevent misuse. We demand that social media platforms and technology companies implement advanced detection technologies and stricter content moderation policies to identify and remove deepfake content swiftly. These platforms must be transparent in their efforts and collaborate with experts to enhance their capabilities in distinguishing between legitimate and manipulated content.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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