New Delhi | 26 Feb 2026

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw has raised serious concerns over the growing danger of deepfakes and organised disinformation, saying they pose a direct risk to the basic structure of society. Speaking at the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2026, the minister said rapid technological advances have made it easier than ever to create and spread manipulated content on a massive scale, putting public trust under pressure worldwide.

Highlighting the seriousness of the issue, Vaishnaw said, “The way the world is emerging today the core tenet of trust is under threat.” He stressed that misinformation is no longer occasional or isolated, but has become systemic in nature. According to him, such content can mislead people into believing events that never happened, adding, “The threat is coming from so many different angles – Deepfakes – which can make you belief things which have never happened anyway.”

The minister also warned about long-running disinformation campaigns that slowly distort how people see reality. He said, “Disinformation barrage - which can cause that sense of distrust which dosnt exist in the real life.” Pointing to another worrying trend, he added, “Creating synthetically generated pictures of people well respected in society, creating videos which have absolutely no corelation with reality.” Vaishnaw noted that when such content reaches ordinary citizens, “All that so called content when reaches the common citizen, they start questioning the very basic structure of the society.”

Emphasising that this is a global challenge, Vaishnaw said the misuse of emerging technologies is “happening everywhere not only in India.” The DNPA Conclave 2026 aims to address these concerns by bringing together policymakers, media leaders and industry experts to discuss digital journalism and artificial intelligence. DNPA Chairperson Mariam Mammen Mathew said, “At a time when AI is reshaping the very foundations of news, it is critical for publishers, policymakers and platforms to come together and build a framework rooted in trust and responsibility.” Vice-Chairperson Puneet Gupt added, “The future of digital journalism will depend on how effectively we align innovation with sustainability, fair value exchange and public interest.”

Deepfakes Threaten Public Trust and Social Foundations, Warns Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has warned that deepfakes and organised misinformation are becoming a serious threat to public trust. Speaking at the DNPA Conclave 2026, he said fast-growing technology has made it easy to spread fake and altered content, creating confusion and doubt in society. According to him, this problem is no longer limited to one country but is being seen across the world.

Pointing to the larger impact, Vaishnaw said, “The way the world is emerging today the core tenet of trust is under threat.” He explained that misinformation today works in a planned and continuous way, not as isolated incidents. Deepfakes, he noted, can mislead people into believing events that never took place, adding, “The threat is coming from so many different angles – Deepfakes – which can make you belief things which have never happened anyway.”

The minister also highlighted the danger of long-term disinformation campaigns. He said such efforts slowly create fear and doubt among people, even when there is no real reason for it. As he put it, “Disinformation barrage - which can cause that sense of distrust which dosnt exist in the real life.” He further spoke about fake images and videos made using technology, saying, “Creating synthetically generated pictures of people well respected in society, creating videos which have absolutely no corelation with reality.”

Vaishnaw warned that when this kind of content reaches ordinary citizens, it has a deeper impact on society. “All that so called content when reaches the common citizen, they start questioning the very basic structure of the society,” he said. He stressed that the issue needs serious attention from governments, media organisations and technology platforms, as misuse of technology is “happening everywhere not only in India.”