Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): Thirty activists of a girl student outfit were booked for conducting an unauthorised demonstration raising pro-Palestine slogans through an ecologically sensitive area, police said on Saturday.

Pazhayangadi police here registered the case against Afra Shihab and 29 other activists of the Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO) for carrying out the demonstration at Madayipara here without seeking prior permission.

Police launched an investigation and registered a case on its own after the visuals of the pro-Palestine demonstration, carrying flags and banners through that fragile area on Friday, circulated in social media platforms, sources said.

Madayipara is an ecologically sensitive hillock located in this northern district.

According to the FIR, the protesters gathered in the area and carried out the demonstration, raising pro-Palestine slogans with the intention of creating tension in the society.

The case was registered against Shihab and 29 other identifiable persons under BNS Sections 189 (2) and 190 (unlawful assembly), 191 (2) (rioting) and 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), it said.

Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO) is a student organisation of Muslim girls.

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New Delhi  (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.

The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.

"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.

The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.

"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.

The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.

The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.

The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.

The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.

A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.