The explanatory note states that “progress in the field of computer technology has significantly expanded the possibilities of creating video and audio materials using samples of human images and voice”.
The document emphasizes that due to technologies, including neural networks and artificial intelligence, it has become possible to create forgeries that are "virtually indistinguishable from reality" for a layman.
The deputies proposed to add a new attribute to several articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - "committing a crime using an image or voice". This applies to articles related to fraud, extortion, theft, slander, and property damage. Such actions are punishable by fines of up to 1.5 million rubles or imprisonment for up to seven years.
The author of the initiative, head of the Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans' Affairs Yaroslav Nilov, explained: "We propose to toughen responsibility under several criminal articles for the use of substitution technologies. During the live stream with the president last year, the active use of this technology was demonstrated. There are many cases when people are deprived of everything because their vote was faked. In light of this, it is proposed to adapt the Criminal Code to modern realities."
It is important to note that the technology of "deepfakes" is mainly used by Russian propagandists. Fake videos using images and voices of Ukrainian politicians pop up in Russian Z-channels. Earlier, the Russian media showed a video recording of a statement by Oleksiy Danylov, who at the time held the post of the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. In the recording, Danilov allegedly claimed that Ukraine was involved in the terrorist attack in the "Crocus City Hall" near Moscow.
