"Anonymity cannot be a weapon": Vishnu Manchu demands action against AI deepfakes
Actor Vishnu Manchu calls for an industry-wide mechanism to combat AI deepfakes and coordinated online sabotage following recent controversies.
In the wake of a disturbing surge in AI-generated misinformation, actor and Movie Artists Association (MAA) President Vishnu Manchu has issued a clarion call for a permanent, industry-wide mechanism to combat deepfakes and online impersonation. The actor's plea follows recent controversies involving morphed videos of stars like Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR, highlighting a growing crisis of digital safety in the film industry.
A Warning Against Faceless Abuse
Addressing the recent AI deepfake incidents that have ignited fury across the film fraternity, Manchu emphasized that these are not isolated events but rather a systemic warning. He echoed concerns raised by actor Ram Pothineni regarding the "fearless" nature of anonymous attackers who hide behind digital masks.
Manchu suggested that the conversation around accountability must include serious discussions on linking online identities to verified credentials, such as Aadhaar, to prevent misuse. "Freedom of expression must always be protected. But anonymity cannot become a weapon to abuse, defame, sexually violate or deliberately destroy someone," he stated in a detailed post on X.
Distinguishing Criticism from Sabotage
The MAA President also shed light on a more subtle but equally damaging trend: organized negativity campaigns. While acknowledging that reviews, trolling, and disagreement are natural parts of the cinematic experience, he drew a sharp line between genuine critique and coordinated sabotage.
Manchu pointed to recent instances where films faced targeted, paid negativity even before reaching the audience. He cited Sundeep Kishan and the film The Paradise as examples of those who had to fight against defamatory content and seek legal protection to safeguard their work from pre-release destruction.
The Internal Threat: Fan Wars and Fake Accounts
Perhaps most concerning is the fact that much of this toxicity originates from within the industry's own ecosystem. Manchu highlighted several problematic behaviors:
- Fan Group Conflicts: Internal battles between fan bases that damage the industry as a whole.
- Anonymous Pages: Accounts masquerading as neutral observers to spread misinformation.
- Identity Theft: Users employing actors' photographs as profile pictures while engaging in behavior the actors would never endorse.
"If one Telugu film loses, Telugu cinema does not win. The cake is big enough for everyone to have a piece," Manchu remarked, urging stakeholders to stop the cycle of mutual destruction.
A Call for a Permanent System, Not Just Meetings
The MAA is currently compiling data on accounts and networks involved in repeated malicious campaigns and the misuse of actor identities. However, Manchu warned that filing individual complaints or deleting single videos is a losing battle against rapidly evolving technology.
He has called upon the Telugu Film Chamber, Producers Council, and the MAA to move beyond symbolic gestures. "I want to request all stakeholders to sit together and create a permanent industry-wide mechanism to address AI deepfakes, impersonation, coordinated malicious campaigns and deliberate online sabotage. Not another meeting that ends with a photograph. Not another phone call. A SYSTEM," he urged.
The Human Cost of Technology Misuse
The gravity of the situation was underscored by Janhvi Kapoor, who recently spoke out regarding an AI-altered video from the song Chuttamalle. Describing the criminal misuse of technology to objectify women as "deeply violating" and "bordering on sexual assault," she noted that almost every woman in the industry has faced similar digital harassment.
As the industry grapples with these digital threats, Manchu's message remains clear: let the audience decide the fate of the films, and let the industry focus on protecting its creators rather than destroying one another.