After cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar raised concerns about a deepfake video featuring him, an FIR (First Information Report) was filed on Tuesday against a gaming website and a Facebook page by the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police. The manipulated video portrayed a fake Tendulkar falsely claiming that he and his daughter, Sara, had won substantial amounts of money through a specific online game. The individuals behind the website and Facebook page are yet to be identified.
The FIR was lodged by the West Zone Cyber Police of the Crime Branch, prompted by a complaint from Tendulkar's personal assistant, Ramesh Pardhe as per a TOI report. Pardhe discovered that an old interview of Tendulkar, available on YouTube, had been edited and shared on a Facebook page named Hurma. He noted that the deepfake video, utilising advanced technology to replicate Tendulkar's gestures and voice, was also circulated on a gaming website called Skyward Aviator Quest.
Earlier in the week, Sachin Tendulkar had raised concerns about a viral video promoting a game called Aviator, acknowledging it as a deepfake. Tendulkar tweeted, "These videos are fake. It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology. Request everyone to report videos, ads & apps like these in large numbers. Social Media platforms need to be alert and responsive to complaints. Swift action from their end is crucial to stopping the spread of misinformation and deepfakes."
Here's the deepfake video of Sachin Tendulkar
In the shared video, Tendulkar is seen endorsing the game Aviator, claiming that his daughter, Sara Tendulkar, plays it frequently and encouraging people to download it. However, as mentioned earlier, the video is a deepfake created using a tool, utilising a clip from one of Sachin's old interviews and manipulating it to promote the app. The cricket legend has urged social media users to report such content and emphasised the need for strict action against the spread of misinformation and deepfakes.