China has announced new regulations that will limit the usage of deep synthesis software. This action is consistent with the government’s ongoing effort to counteract online propaganda, false information, and rumors.
On December 11th, the Administrative Provisions on Deep Synthesis for Internet Information Service were issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Public Security Ministry. They will go into effect on January 10th, 2019.
New Rule in China
Deeply synthesized versions of works must be carefully identified so that their origins may be determined. For legal reasons, you need the consent of the person whose image or voice you are changing.
Also, news articles containing content created using deep synthesis technology must only be reposted from one of the 1,358 official government news outlets.
The government has defined profound synthesis as creating text, images, music, video, and virtual sceneries through technologies like deep learning and augmented reality.
Additionally, those that offer deep synthesis services must adhere to the law, act responsibly, and maintain the correct “political direction” and suitable “public opinion orientation,” as outlined in the new law.
The Cyberspace Administration has pledged to execute these laws and regulations and define systematic and specialized requirements for using such technology in online information services to secure and support the orderly development of deep synthesis services.
However, the top Chinese internet regulator has voiced concern that unchecked deep synthesis development and application could be used for criminal purposes, including online fraud or defamation, according to a post on the cyberspace administration’s official WeChat account.
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Ai Technology
Notably, the combination of rapid technological development and restrictive regulations has resulted in the need for new laws explicitly addressing profound synthesis.
Meanwhile, one of the worst applications of this technology is deepfakes, in which a fake face or voice is superimposed over a real one.
In one infamous case, a video purportedly showing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gloating about his control of stolen data from billions of users went viral after being heavily edited.
Moreover, technology improvements have led to a rise in the worldwide use of deep fakes in creating fake news, pornographic videos featuring prominent persons, and financial fraud.
Twitter and Facebook, two of the most popular Western social media platforms, have introduced new steps to detect and limit the spread of fake news and propaganda made possible by deep fakes.
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