If someone makes a deepfake or morphed image of you, don't engage or pay. Save links and screenshots, report the content to the platform (since February 2026, morphed intimate images must be removed within 2 hours of your complaint), use StopNCII.org for intimate images, and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in or 1930. IT Act s.66E, 67 and 67A and BNS provisions apply.
Key takeaways
- Creating or sharing sexual deepfakes is punishable under the IT Act and the BNS.
- Platforms must remove morphed intimate content within 2 hours of your complaint.
- StopNCII.org creates hashes on your device so images can be blocked without uploading them.
- Save URLs, usernames, dates and screenshots before reporting.
- You do not need to prove technically that it is fake to report it.
What should you do first if a deepfake of you is circulating?
- Stay safe and don't engage. If someone is demanding money or more images, do not pay or reply; demands usually grow.
- Preserve evidence: copy the URL of each post, the profile link and username, take full-screen screenshots showing date and time, and note where you first saw it and who sent it.
- Report to the platform using its non-consensual intimate imagery or impersonation option.
- Use StopNCII.org if the content is intimate or sexual (real or fake). It generates a digital fingerprint (hash) on your device; the image itself is not uploaded.
- File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in under women and children related crimes or other cyber crime, or call 1930. You can also complain at a police station.
- Tell a trusted person and consider a lawyer for urgent takedown or court orders.
Do not forward the content to friends to "warn" them, as this spreads it further. If the material is real and someone is blackmailing you with it, follow our separate guide on sextortion and blackmail.
If the abuse is part of a wider pattern of humiliation by someone you know, our guide on domestic violence evidence explains other remedies.
Is making a deepfake illegal in India?
India has no single "deepfake law", but making or sharing a harmful deepfake is caught by several existing provisions, depending on what the content shows and why it was made:
| Situation | Provisions commonly applied |
|---|---|
| Sexual or nude deepfake published or shared | IT Act s.67 (obscene material) and s.67A (sexually explicit material); BNS s.79 (insulting modesty of a woman) |
| Image of a person's private area captured or shared without consent | IT Act s.66E (violation of privacy) |
| Deepfake used to pose as you, e.g. fake video calls asking for money | IT Act s.66C (identity theft), s.66D (cheating by personation); BNS s.319 |
| Deepfake used to demand money or favours | BNS s.308 (extortion), s.351 (criminal intimidation) |
| False video damaging your reputation | BNS s.356 (defamation); civil injunction and damages |
| Any sexual content involving a child | IT Act s.67B and the POCSO Act, 2012 |
Courts have also granted injunctions protecting well-known people's personality rights against AI misuse, and the 2026 IT Rules amendment now specifically covers AI-generated synthetic content. Rules here keep changing, so check the latest position with a lawyer.
How quickly must platforms remove morphed photos?
Under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, when an individual (or someone on their behalf) complains that content shows them in full or partial nudity, in a sexual act, or is an artificially morphed image impersonating them, the intermediary must remove or disable access to it. The original 24-hour window was cut to 2 hours by the IT Rules amendment notified on 10 February 2026 (in force from 20 February 2026). The same amendment requires removal within 3 hours of a court order or authorised government direction, and adds rules on synthetically generated information: AI-created or altered content that appears real must be prominently labelled.
Every significant platform must have a grievance officer whose contact appears on its website or app. If you are dissatisfied with the platform's response, the Rules provide for an appeal to the Grievance Appellate Committee. Keep the complaint reference numbers and screenshots of the platform's replies; they become evidence if police or a court get involved.
Search engines can also be asked to de-index pages, and a court can order blocking of specific URLs if a site ignores you.
How does StopNCII work for intimate images?
StopNCII.org is a free tool run by the UK charity SWGfL. You select the image or video on your own device; the tool creates a hash (a unique code) and shares only that hash with participating platforms, which can then detect and block matching uploads. It is designed for adults; for under-18s, NCMEC's Take It Down service serves the same purpose.
StopNCII works best where you have a copy of the image. It does not cover every website, and edited versions may not match, so continue reporting directly to platforms and to cyber police.
How can you check whether an image has been morphed?
You do not have to prove a fake before reporting, but these checks help you and your lawyer:
- Find the original: run a reverse image search to see if your face has been placed on someone else's photo, or an old public photo of yours was altered.
- Look for visual errors: mismatched skin tone at the neck, warped backgrounds, odd ears, teeth, jewellery or hands, unnatural blinking or lip movement in videos.
- Keep your originals: your own camera files with original dates help show what the real photo looked like.
- Avoid unknown "detector" apps that ask you to upload intimate material; results are unreliable and uploads can be misused.
For court, police can send content to a cyber forensic laboratory, and a qualified examiner can give an opinion on manipulation. Electronic evidence normally needs a certificate under BSA s.63 (earlier Evidence Act s.65B).
How can you find deepfakes of yourself online?
Lawful self-monitoring options include reverse image searches of your common profile photos, Google alerts for your name, and asking trusted friends to tell you if they see anything. Some platforms let you report impersonating accounts directly from your profile. Do not join closed groups using fake identities to search; leave that to police, who can request information from platforms through legal process.
If a fake account is spreading the content, see how to find who is behind a fake account. If the same person is following and harassing you across apps, read our guide on cyber stalking and online harassment.
Who can help besides the police?
Women can seek support from the women helpline 181 and the National Commission for Women. Children and parents should contact police and use the Take It Down service; school counsellors can help too. A lawyer can send legal notices, seek urgent injunctions and coordinate with platforms.
A verified investigator on Hire Your Detective can help organise evidence, document public posts in a forensically careful way and assist your lawyer, but cannot hack accounts or obtain subscriber details, which only police can request. Find a cyber-aware detective if you need that support.
How do you prove a deepfake in a police case or court?
Proof usually rests on three pillars rather than on a single expert's word:
- The original source: your genuine photo or video from which the fake was made, with its original file and metadata, or a public post showing the unaltered image.
- Forensic examination: police can send the content and devices to a state or central cyber forensic lab, which may report on signs of editing, compression history or AI generation.
- Linking evidence: messages, account details obtained by police from platforms, payment trails and witness statements that connect the accused to the creation or sharing.
Keep your evidence organised: a list of URLs with dates, screenshots, complaint numbers and the platform's replies. Hand over copies, not your only originals, and ask police to note what they seized. Our guide on WhatsApp chats as evidence explains how electronic records are certified, and the same principles apply to images and videos.
Do not try to identify the creator by hacking accounts or using paid "tracking" services; these are often illegal and can contaminate the case.
Bottom line
Deepfakes and morphed photos are not your fault and can be fought. Save the evidence, report to the platform, use StopNCII for intimate images, and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in or 1930. The 2-hour takedown rule and existing IT Act and BNS provisions give you real remedies.
Sources & official links
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change, and every case is different — speak to a lawyer about your situation. In an emergency, call 112.