Telangana Police Issues Notice to IAS Officer Over AI Image of Tree-Cutting
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Synopsis
In Hyderabad, the Telangana Police have served a notice to IAS officer Smita Sabharwal for sharing an AI-generated image concerning tree-cutting on social media. This follows protests against alleged forest destruction near Hyderabad Central University, raising concerns over misinformation in the digital age.
Key Takeaways
- Telangana Police have issued a notice to IAS officer Smita Sabharwal.
- The notice is related to an AI-generated image shared on social media.
- The image depicts tree-cutting near Hyderabad Central University.
- Protests have erupted regarding alleged environmental destruction.
- The government is taking measures against misinformation.
Hyderabad, April 16 (NationPress) The Telangana Police have issued a notice to senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal for sharing an AI-generated Ghibli image on social media that pertains to the demolition of a 400-acre area near Hyderabad Central University.
Cyberabad Police have served notice under section 179 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to Smita Sabharwal, who serves as principal secretary of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture.
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer had on March 31 reposted a tweet from the ‘Hi Hyderabad’ account that included an image showing bulldozers in front of the Mushroom Rock on Kancha Gachibowli land, depicted in a Ghibli style with a peacock and two deer observing.
This 2001-batch IAS officer shared the content amid ongoing protests by HCU students, environmental activists, and opposition parties concerning the alleged devastation of forests on the Kancha Gachibowli land.
On Wednesday, the bureaucrat also reposted a tweet that criticized the actions of the Telangana government.
In response, Minister for Industries and Information Technology D. Sridhar Babu stated that the government would act according to the law regarding Smita Sabharwal's post.
The minister expressed concern that fake videos and images were impacting all institutions.
Previously, Smita Sabharwal was a prominent officer as secretary to the Chief Minister under the former BRS government. Following the Congress party's rise to power, she was reassigned from the Chief Minister’s Office to a position as member secretary of the Telangana State Finance Commission, and subsequently to the Department of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture.
The police action against the IAS officer coincided with several cases filed by the Gachibowli Police related to the dissemination of AI-generated images.
The authorities have filed four FIRs against BRS social media in-charges Krishank Manne and Konatham Dileep, interrogating them on two occasions.
The Telangana government has expressed serious concern regarding fabricated videos and images concerning Kancha Gachibowli lands and has sought the court's intervention to investigate the distribution of fake content utilizing AI.
The government has raised alarms over the controversies sparked by these manipulated videos and images circulating on social media that suggest the seizure of land belonging to Hyderabad Central University.
According to government sources, certain vested interests have created fake videos and AI images showing distressed peacocks and injured deer fleeing from bulldozers. Even some prominent individuals in various sectors mistakenly believed these fake videos and images were authentic and shared them on social media.
A recent meeting led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy pointed out that Union Minister Kishan Reddy, former Minister Jagadish Reddy, social media influencer Dhruv Rathi, and film personalities John Abraham, Dia Mirza, and Raveena Tandon had inadvertently conveyed misleading messages to the public by posting these fake videos and images on social media under the assumption that they were genuine.
