Sachin Tendulkar reacts to deepfake video; says it's rampant misuse of technology

A video has been circulating featuring cricketer Sachin Tendulkar promoting a gaming app called Skyward Aviator Quest on social media. The cricketer is also seen claiming that his daughter Sara has earned a profit from playing the game. The video is a Deepfake video.

Sachin spoke about the worrying misuse of technology; he took to his social media to address this issue with his fans and the public. “These videos are fake. It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology”, he wrote on X. “Request everyone to report videos, ads & apps like these in large numbers,” he added stressing the need for awareness and calls for quick action to stop the spread of false information.

This is not the first time a celebrity image has been morphed to create a fake video in the past year Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna’s deepfake video went viral on social media her face and voice were swapped on an Instagram video of a British woman named Zara Patel. The actress took it to her socials expressing her fear towards this kind of technology.

These kinds of episodes emphasize how technology can be misused to create false impressions. To address the problem of deepfakes, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) previously published an advisory with a focus on detection, prevention, improving reporting mechanisms, and raising awareness. It works in line with current IT regulations to stop the spread of false information via AI, especially concerning the threat posed by deepfakes.