Nearly 1 In 4 Indians Encounter Political Deepfakes: Report

A research conducted by McAfee reveals that nearly 1 In 4 Indians (22 per cent) said they recently came across a political deepfake they later discovered to be fake.

As per the survey findings, within the last year, 75 percent of individuals reported exposure to deepfake content, with 38 percent falling prey to deepfake scams and 18 percent becoming victims of such fraudulent schemes.

Among those affected by or encountering deepfake scams, 57 percent were deceived by celebrity deepfakes, resulting in 31 percent suffering financial losses.

Additionally, 40 percent experienced their voice being cloned for deception, while 39 percent received phone calls impersonating acquaintances or family members.

The data also showed that nearly 80 percent of people are now more concerned about deepfakes than they were a year ago.

Respondents highlighted cyberbullying (55%), fake pornography (52%), scams (49%), impersonating public figures (44%), undermining media trust (37%), influencing elections (31%), and distorting historical facts (27%) as the most concerning uses of deepfakes.