Creators may find it amusing, the results aren't: Himanshi Khurana on deepfake videos

A visual of actress Rashmika Mandanna’s face in a recent deepfake video has begun a series of conversations on the subject, with Punjabi screen actor and singer Himanshi Khurana now sharing her thoughts on deepfakes and her concerns about the technology.

Talking about the video, the Sadda Haq actor and Bigg Boss 13 participant said: “Creating fake videos just for the sake of it can significantly impact someone's mental health and tarnish their image. While the creators may find it amusing, the consequences are genuinely saddening. Even with widespread education, such videos continue to go viral, highlighting the need for awareness and responsible use of technology. It's disheartening to witness such incidents not only involving celebrities but also affecting ordinary individuals.”

Himanshi added: “Big celebrities’ videos become viral easily, such things are inappropriate, and they get views because of such big celebrities. The technology is for good use to reach everyone and give something new for our future generations, but we’re using it inappropriately, which is not good. No one has the right to make such videos and get them to go viral.”

The actor said owing to "societal judgements", women are more likely to become targets of something like a deepfake. “Female actors are often more vulnerable to targeting owing to a perceived fear that male actors might take decisive action if subjected to similar treatment.”

“This could be attributed to societal judgments, where women are seen as easier targets for online harassment, as their videos tend to go viral more frequently, making them more lucrative and susceptible to exploitation.”

She added that a public figure’s information is more accessible and puts them at further risk: “Public figures are at greater risk because their images, contact information, and email addresses are easily accessible, making them targets. Because of their widespread recognition, exploiting a famous personality by spreading their videos can easily lead to viral content.”