#Fact Check: AI Video Falsely Shows Afghanistan Downing Pakistani Fighter Jet

The Emerging Landscape of AI-Enabled Sign Language Technologies 

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Consumer technology has been moving in a single, steady direction for decades: machines are getting increasingly sensitive to human speech. The phone transcribes what we say into it. An algorithm responds to a question we ask. With just one tap, we can translate across languages. However, sign language, one of the most essential forms of human expression, has largely escaped this change for millions of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. At last, that omission may finally be narrowing. 

For the first time, sign language recognition is now widely available in consumer goods thanks to Google DeepMind’s massively multilingual sign language-to-text model. Starting with American Sign Language to English, the technology currently powers sign-to-text dictation within Gboard and Live Transcribe on Pixel 11. Additional devices and languages are promised. In addition to using Live Transcribe to sign during live conversations, users can sign anywhere they would normally type, such as while conducting a web search, writing a message or interacting with an AI assistant. However, this development’s importance goes far beyond a single accessibility function. 

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Reimagining How We connect with Technology

The most noteworthy is a conceptual change, sign language is starting to be recognised as a valid interface for human-computer interaction in and of itself , rather than as a modality that technology can accept. Because sign languages are not spoken languages that are represented by hand, this distinction is important. The hands, arms, torso, head and facial expressions all simultaneously convey meaning in these independent natural languages, which have their own grammar, vocabulary and syntax. Compared to traditional voice recognition, this presents a far more complex computing task. 

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In terms of architecture, the model does not keep raw video instead, it processes pose landmark sequences. The original footage may be destroyed while an on-device mechanism tracks locations on the signer’s body and transmits only geometric coordinates for translation. Instead than using intermediate “gloss” representations, which sometimes lose the spatial and non-manual components crucial to meaning, translation happens directly. Accessibility and privacy meet at this point, a technology designed to grant independence shouldn’t require the surrender of personal biometric information in return. 

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The Indian question is larger than ASL

A more significant concern for India is raised by this development, whose sign language will artificial intelligence eventually comprehend? It is not possible to import an ASL-to-English model and claim it to be a solution. The linguistic architecture, communities and regional variations of Indian Sign Language are unique. ISL recognition and its translation into Hindi, Telugu and Bengali are the subject of an expanding amount of study yet this same research openly highlights the shortcomings of existing systems including limited vocabularies, isolated word recognition and noticeable sensitivity to individual signing style. 

This is not a coincidental distinction. Benchmark accuracy alone cannot be used to gauge inclusive AI; instead, it must be effective under typical circumstances for a variety of individuals, geographical locations and sign languages. It is clear from research on low resource sign languages that over three hundred sign languages are still woefully under-resourced and under-documented. A growing body of research supports signer-adaptive modelling, privacy preserving representations, community co-design and dialectical variety preservation. Therefore, making data collecting, engagement and design more truly inclusive may be the next real advancement rather than further scaling models. 

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A Legal Architecture already in place

India’s statutory framework offers a firm foundation for this trajectory. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 defines universal design broadly enough to include cutting edge technologies and assistive devices. It is based on the ideals of equality, dignity, participation and accessibility. Information and communication technology access is specifically covered by Section 42, which requires captioning, sign language interpretation, accessible electronic content and universal design in common electronic products. In this context, accessible AI is an issue of statutory rights rather than technological generosity. This stance is supported by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which addresses accessibility in Article 9 and information access and freedom of speech in Article 21. As a result, the central policy topic is changing  from whether technology should be made accessible to how accessibility should be incorporated from the start.

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Beyond sign-to-text

Beyond Transcription, Google has expressed aspirations for more sign languages, sign language production and expanded AI capabilities. Future architecture could be imagined as running along a continuous circuit that connects sign, text, speech and AI in both directions rather than just from sign to text. A consumer could deal with a bank without completely relying on an interpreter; a student could learn in her favourite language; or someone could sign a question to an assistant and could get an answer in generated sign language. However , there are still important unanswered questions about this future, such as who owns the data used to train these systems, how signers’ meaningful consent is obtained, how systematic misrecognition of specific communities is prevented and who is responsible when translation fails in an emergency, legal or medical setting. 

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The Real Measure of Inclusion

The mere fact that a machine has discovered something humans have long understood makes it easy to characterise innovations like these as breakthroughs. The most accurate way to put it is that technology becomes inclusive when individuals can use it without changing who they are or how they interact, not when it acknowledges more human behaviours. This means that India must continue to invest not only in models but also in Indian Sign Language databases, community-led research, accessibility standards and the meaningful involvement of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing populations in both design and evaluation. The ability of a system to detect a hand gesture will not define the future of accessible AI. 

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References

• https://aclanthology.org/2025.wslp-main.5/ 
• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (Act No 49 of 2016), s 42.  
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (adopted 13 December 2006, entered into force 3 May 2008) 2515 UNTS 3, art 9.

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Over The Top (OTT)

OTT messaging platforms have taken the world by storm; everyone across the globe is working on OTT platforms, and they have changed the dynamics of accessibility and information speed forever. Whatsapp is one of the leading OTT messaging platforms under the tech giant Meta as of 2013. All tasks, whether personal or professional, can be performed over Whatsapp, and as of today, Whatsapp has 2.44 billion users worldwide, with 487.5 Million users in India alone^[1]. With such a vast user base, it is pertinent to have proper safety and security measures and mechanisms on these platforms and active reporting options for the users. The growth of OTT platforms has been exponential in the previous decade. As internet penetration increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, the following factors contributed towards the growth of OTT platforms –

• Urbanisation and Westernisation
• Access to Digital Services
• Media Democratization
• Convenience
• Increased Internet Penetration

These factors have been influential in providing exceptional content and services to the  consumers, and extensive internet connectivity has allowed people from the remotest part of the country to use OTT messaging platforms. But it is pertinent to maintain user safety and security by the platforms and abide by the policies and regulations to maintain accountability and transparency.

New Safety Features

Keeping in mind the safety requirements and threats coming with emerging technologies, Whatsapp has been crucial in taking out new technology and policy-based security measures. A number of new security features have been added to WhatsApp to make it more difficult to take control of other people’s accounts. The app’s privacy and security-focused features go beyond its assertion that online chats and discussions should be as private and secure as in-person interactions. Numerous technological advancements pertaining to that goal have focussed on message security, such as adding end-to-end encryption to conversations. The new features allegedly increase user security on the app.

WhatsApp announced that three new security features are now available to all users on Android and iOS devices. The new security features are called Account Protect, Device Verification, and Automatic Security Codes

• For instance, a new programme named “Account Protect” will start when users migrate an account from an old device to a new one. If users receive an unexpected alert, it may be a sign that someone is trying to access their account without their knowledge. Users may see an alert on their previous handset asking them to confirm that they are truly transitioning away from it.
• To make sure that users cannot install malware to access other people’s messages, another function called “Device Verification” operates in the background. Without the user’s knowledge, this feature authenticates devices in the background. In particular, WhatsApp claims it is concerned about unlicensed WhatsApp applications that contain spyware made explicitly for this use. Users do not need to take any action due to the company’s new checks that help authenticate user accounts to prevent this.
• The final feature is dubbed “automatic security codes,” It builds on an already-existing service that lets users verify that they are speaking with the person they believe they are. This is still done manually, but by default, an automated version will be carried out with the addition of a tool to determine whether the connection is secure.

While users can now view the code by visiting a user’s profile, the social media platform will start to develop a concept called “Key Transparency” to make it easier for its users to verify the validity of the code. Update to the most recent build if you use WhatsApp on Android because these features have already been released. If you use iOS, the security features have not yet been released, although an update is anticipated soon.

Conclusion

Digital safety is a crucial matter for netizens across the world; platforms like Whatsapp, which enjoy a massive user base, should lead the way in terms of OTT platforms’ cyber security by inculcating the use of emerging technologies, user reporting, and transparency in the principles and also encourage other platforms to replicate their security mechanisms to keep bad actors at bay. Account Protect, Device Verification, and Automatic Security Codes will go a long way in protecting the user’s interests while simultaneously maintaining convenience, thus showing us that the future with such platforms is bright and secure.

^[1] https://verloop.io/blog/whatsapp-statistics-2023/#:~:text=1.,over%202.44%20billion%20users%20worldwide.

A video has been going viral on social media in recent days in which Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief and anchor Arnab Goswami can allegedly be heard using objectionable language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While sharing the video, users are claiming that Arnab Goswami publicly made controversial remarks about the Prime Minister.

An investigation by CyberPeace Foundation found this claim to be completely false. Our probe revealed that the viral video is edited and is being circulated on social media with a misleading narrative. In the original video, Arnab Goswami was not making any personal statement; rather, he was referring to an old statement made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

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Viral Claim

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An Instagram user posted this video on 5 January 2026. In the video, a voice resembling Arnab Goswami is heard saying, “Ye jo Narendra Modi hain, ye chhe mahine baad ghar se nahi nikal paayenge aur Hindustan ke log inhein danda maarenge.”

(Translation: “This Narendra Modi will not be able to step out of his house after six months, and the people of India will beat him with sticks.”)

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The post link, its archive link, and screenshots can be seen below:

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• Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTHrO7bk7Rf/?igsh=MThzbzBlcm82eWN0ZA%3D%3D
• Archive link: https://archive.ph/oaYsf

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Fact Check

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To verify the viral claim, we first examined the video using Google Lens search. During this process, we found a video published on 18 July 2024 on the official YouTube channel of Republic Bharat. The investigation revealed that this video is the longer (extended) version of the viral clip.

After carefully watching the full video, it became clear that Arnab Goswami was not making the statement himself. Instead, he was referring to a remark made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This confirms that the viral video was clipped and presented out of context.

The related video link can be seen below: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KlQV25-3l8s

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In the next step of the investigation, to verify whether Rahul Gandhi had indeed made such a statement, we conducted a customized keyword search on Google. During this, we found a video published on 6 February 2020 on the official YouTube channel of India Today.

In this video, recorded during a public event ahead of the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi is seen sharply attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that if the Prime Minister fails to resolve the issue of unemployment in the country, the youth would beat him with sticks.

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The video link is given below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5qCSA5nG9Y

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Conclusion

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The CyberPeace Foundation’s investigation found this claim to be completely fake. The viral video is edited and is being shared in a misleading context. In the original video, Arnab Goswami was referring to an old statement made by Rahul Gandhi, which was selectively clipped and presented in a way that falsely suggests Arnab Goswami himself made objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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