Beware of the ‘morphed photo-video scam’:What to do if someone threatens to make your obscene photos viral

Imagine receiving an obscene photograph or video of yourself on your phone one day-something you never made. AI makes this possible. Cyber fraudsters are lifting people’s photographs, creating fake obscene content and then blackmailing them by threatening to defame them. A similar case came to light in Mangaluru, Karnataka, recently. Scammers used AI to manipulate a photograph of a 19-year-old man and create an obscene image of him. They then cheated him of ₹5.24 lakh by threatening to circulate it on social media. Such images are known as morphed photographs. That is why, in today’s ‘Cyber Literacy’ section, we will discuss the ‘morphed photo-video scam’. We will also learn- Expert – Rahul Mishra, Cyber Security Adviser, Uttar Pradesh Police Question-What do morphed photos and videos mean? Answer- A morphed photo or video is a fake image or video created by manipulating a person’s real photo or video. It looks real, but is not genuine. It may involve- Question- How are morphed photos and videos created? Answer- Various editing and AI techniques are used to create morphed photos and videos. The main methods include- Photo editing: A person’s face, body, background or other parts of a photo are altered. Face swap: One person’s face is placed on another person’s photo or video. Deepfake AI: AI can be used to alter facial expressions, lip movements and even the voice. AI image/video generation: A completely new fake image or video can be created based on a photo or text. Video manipulation: An original video can be altered to make it appear that something happened when it actually did not. Question- What kind of fraud can scammers commit using morphed photos and videos? Answer- Scammers can carry out several types of fraud using morphed photos and videos. See the graphic- Question- Can people’s own mistakes also increase the possibility of their photos and videos being morphed? Answer: Yes, some online activities carried out knowingly or unknowingly can sometimes increase the risk, such as- Question- Where and how can you report obscene morphed photos/videos? Answer- Understand it through these pointers- Question- What evidence should you have to file a complaint? Answer- When filing a complaint about obscene morphed photos and videos, keep these digital pieces of evidence with you- Question – What legal action can be taken against a person who threatens to make a morphed photo or video go viral or posts it? Answer – Depending on the case, action can be taken under various sections of the IT Act and other laws. For example- Question- What should you do to have an obscene morphed photo or video of you removed if someone makes it go viral on social media? Answer- Understand this through the following pointers: See the correct method in the graphic. Question- What should you keep in mind when reporting content on social media? Answer- Understand it through these pointers- Question – What should you do if the scammer creates a new ID and posts the photo/video again after the content is removed? Answer – Keep a few things in mind: Question – What precautions should be taken to avoid the threat of obscene morphed photos and videos? Answer – Take certain precautions on social media to reduce the risk of your photos and videos being misused. See them in the graphic: Question- How can phones and the internet be used responsibly? Answer- Understand it through these pointers- ****************