Chinese authorities detain ChatGPT user for creating and spreading fake news

Chinese police said y recently detained a ChatGPT user for allegedly using AI-powered chatbot to create a fake news story about a nexistent train crash. It's one of first enforcement actions under a recently enacted Chinese law regulating AI-generated “deepfakes” — seemingly realistic but fabricated digital ims, video or or media.

According to a police report from rthwest Chinese province of Gansu, a man identified only by his surname, Hong, used ChatGPT to create a fake news article about a crash that supposedly led to deaths of nine construction workers in Gansu. Twenty-one accounts on a popular social platform, all owned by a media company based in sourn China, spread fake story within a short period of time.

Like most foreign websites and applications, ChatGPT is technically unavailable in China thanks to country’s “Great Firewall,” which censors internet for residents. But determined individuals can gain access via commonly available “virtual private network” software that bypasses firewall. police report did t describe how Hong mand to use ChatGPT.

By time Gansu security officials realized article was fake, it had received 15,000 views, according to report. Police subsequently raided Hong's residence to collect evidence and n took “criminal coercive measures” against Hong himself. Police use that phrase to describe temporary measures to limit freedom of a suspect.

new Chinese deepfake law took effect on Jan. 10. It bans several categories of fake media produced by “deep synsis techlogies” such as machine learning and virtual reality, but offers only vague definitions for many of se forbidden classes.

According to a translation of law provided by crowdsourced site China Law Translate , it prohibits deepfakes used in activities that endanger national security, harm nation's im or societal public interest, or disturb “ecomic or social order.” It specifically prohibits use of such techlogies to produce, publish or transmit fake news.