Chinese Authorities Detain ChatGPT User for Creating and Spreading Fake News
Chinese police have recently detained a ChatGPT user for allegedly creating a fake news story about a non-existent train crash and spreading it with the help of 21 social media accounts. This is one of the first legal actions taken against the misuse of AI-powered chatbots or "deepfakes" under a newly-enacted law in China.
The police report reveals that a media company based in Southern China owned all 21 accounts that distributed the fake news. By the time the authorities realized that the news was fake, it had already garnered over 15,000 views. The police then raided the suspect's home and collected the evidence, and subsequently took "criminal coercive measures" against him.
While foreign websites and applications like ChatGPT are technically not available in China, some individuals can access them with the help of Virtual Private Network (VPN) software that bypasses the country's "Great Firewall" censorship. However, the report did not specify how the detainee managed to access ChatGPT.
The new Chinese deepfake law came into effect on January 10, 2023, that banned different categories of fake media created by "deep synthesis technologies" like machine learning and virtual reality. The law specifically prohibits the usage of such technologies to publish or transmit fake news, endanger national security, harm the nation’s image or societal public interest, or disturb “economic or social order.”
In conclusion, the Chinese authorities have taken strict legal action against individuals misusing advanced technologies like AI-powered chatbots, especially in spreading false information.
