Synthetic Media Weaponisation against Women and the Legal Unpreparedness of Current Frameworks

This research examines the growing misuse of synthetic media, especially deepfakes and other AI-generated manipulative content, as a gendered instrument of abuse against women. It argues that synthetic media weaponisation has transformed the nature of digital harm by enabling non-consensual sexualisation, impersonation, reputational sabotage, blackmail, harassment, and psychological coercion at an unprecedented scale. The study situates these harms within the framework of privacy, dignity, bodily autonomy, equality, and expressive freedom, and shows that such abuse is not merely a technological irregularity but a structural form of gender-based violence in digital spaces. The paper critically analyses the present Indian legal framework, including constitutional protections, the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and intermediary due diligence obligations, to assess whether current law can adequately respond to synthetic abuse. It finds that the law remains fragmented, reactive, and conceptually underprepared to address the composite injury caused by synthetic media. The study further identifies evidentiary, attributional, procedural, and remedial challenges in enforcement. It finally advances the need for a gender-sensitive, rights-based, and technology-responsive legal regime that can provide effective recognition, prevention, takedown, investigation, and victim-centred remedies.