Sunny Leone opens up about celebrities falling prey to deepfakes; offers advice to young girls

Actor Rashmika Mandanna raised concerns about a deepfake video in November 2023, emphasizing the misuse of technology. Now, Sunny Leone, in an India Today interview, discussed how celebrities, including herself, have been targeted by deepfake manipulation for years. She highlighted that deepfakes are not a recent issue, contrary to popular belief.

When asked about actor Anushka Sen's morphed photos being shared online with derogatory comments, Sunny Leone said, ‘These things have happened to me but honestly, I don't think about it much. I don't let it affect me psychologically or mentally. But there are young girls who have to sometimes face the stigma, but they should understand it's not their fault. They did nothing wrong. If something like this happens, they can always go to the cyber cell and brief the officers about the case. Tell them your identity and likeness has been misused. The police will take action. And even on social media, there is technical help available where you can report these issues. The system is with you, you just need to do it.’

Discussing deepfakes, Sunny Leone mentioned that celebrities have limited means to protect themselves because it ultimately relies on the intentions of those creating these harmful videos and images.

She further noted that everyone is grappling with the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in this context.

Sunny said, ‘It is the shiny new penny at the moment and everyone is trying new things out. More than the fear of being replaced, celebrities are worried about their likeness being misused. We saw that happening a lot last year where fake photos, videos and even voices were put out, leading to a menace... It's a menace that's been going on for a long time. It's not a recent issue as many believe it to be.’

Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake video

In the past year, a deepfake video featuring actor Rashmika Mandanna circulated on social media. Rashmika responded by emphasizing the need for a collective effort to address this issue, as she believed that 'technology is being misused.' While expressing gratitude to her family, friends, and supporters, she candidly admitted that the deepfake video circulating online had been a highly unsettling and frightening experience. The viral video depicted a British-Indian woman in black clothing inside an elevator, with her face manipulated using AI to resemble Rashmika Mandanna.