FIR against gaming site, FB page as Tendulkar raises concerns over his deepfake video

The Mumbai police have registered a case against a gaming site and a Facebook page after Sachin Tendulkar raised concerns over a deepfake video that falsely showed that the cricketing legend was promoting its gaming app, an official said on Thursday.

An FIR has been registered under section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66 (A) (sending offensive messages through communication service) of the IT Act on a complaint filed by the former cricketer’s personal assistant at the West Region Cyber police station on Tuesday, the official said.

Earlier, a deepfake video, carrying a digitally manipulated clip and voice of Tendulkar, was shared on Facebook in which it was falsely shown that the former ace batsman was promoting a gaming app. The deepfake also sought to create an impression that Tendulkar and his daughter Sara had won large sums of money by playing a certain online game.

According to the complaint, the video was edited and posted on Facebook. It said deepfake technology was used to mimic Tendulkar’s gesture and voice.

At this stage, the police did not share details about the owner of the gaming site and the Facebook page. Tendulkar himself had flagged the fake video on his official X handle. He called the video a “disturbing” misuse of technology and stressed that it was fake.

“These videos are fake. It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology. Request everyone to report videos, ads and apps like these in large numbers,” Tendulkar had appealed on X.

Social media platforms need to be alert and responsive to complaints, he said. “Swift action from their end is crucial to stopping the spread of misinformation and deepfakes,” he had asserted.