The Telangana government has expressed concerns over the spread of misinformation regarding a land row near the University of Hyderabad, specifically in the Kancha Gachibowli area. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy attributes the controversy to artificially created social media content, including AI-generated images and videos.
The dispute revolves around 400 acres of government land adjacent to the University of Hyderabad campus. Several structures, including the Indian School of Business, Gachibowli Stadium, and IIIT-Hyderabad, have been built on the land over the past 25 years without major issues. However, a recent proposal to develop the land sparked public outrage, fueled by fake social media content.
Officials claim that AI-generated photos and videos, including fabricated audio of peacocks crying and visuals of deer allegedly injured by bulldozers, were circulated widely, leading to widespread public outrage. Prominent figures, including Union Minister Kishan Reddy, former minister Jagadish Reddy, and Bollywood celebrities, shared the manipulated visuals.
The Telangana government plans to petition the court for a formal inquiry into the creation of AI-generated fake content. The government also aims to strengthen its cybercrime wing to detect and prevent similar incidents in the future. Additionally, the government will procure advanced forensic hardware and software tools to combat AI-generated misinformation.
