#FactCheck - AI Generated image of Virat Kohli falsely claims to be sand art of a child

Executive Summary:

Footage of the Afghanistan cricket team singing ‘Vande Mataram’ after India’s triumph in ICC T20 WC 2024 exposed online.  The CyberPeace Research team carried out a thorough research to uncover the truth about the viral video. The original clip was posted on X platform by Afghan cricketer Mohammad Nabi on October 23, 2023 where the Afghan players posted the video chanting  ‘Allah-hu Akbar’ after winning the ODIs in the World Cup against Pakistan. This debunks the assertion made in the viral video about the people chanting Vande Mataram.

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Claims:

Afghan cricket players chanted "Vande Mataram" to express support for India after India’s victory over Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Fact Check:

Upon receiving the posts, we analyzed the video and found some inconsistency in the video such as the lip sync of the video. 

We checked the video in an AI audio detection tool named “True Media”, and the detection tool found the audio to be 95% AI-generated which made us more suspicious of the authenticity of the video.

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For further verification, we then divided the video into keyframes. We reverse-searched one of the frames of the video to find any credible sources. We then found the X account of Afghan cricketer Mohammad Nabi, where  he uploaded the same video in his account with a caption, “Congratulations! Our team emerged triumphant n an epic battle against ending a long-awaited victory drought. It was a true test of skills & teamwork. All showcased thr immense tlnt & unwavering dedication. Let's celebrate ds 2gether n d glory of our great team & people” on 23 Oct, 2023.

We found that the audio is different from the viral video, where we can hear Afghan players chanting “Allah hu Akbar” in their victory against Pakistan. The Afghan players were not chanting Vande Mataram after India’s victory over Australia in T20 World Cup 2014.

Hence, upon lack of credible sources and detection of AI voice alteration, the claim made in the viral posts is fake and doesn’t represent the actual context. We have previously debunked such AI voice alteration videos. Netizens must be careful before believing misleading information.

Conclusion:

The viral video claiming that Afghan cricket players chanted "Vande Mataram" in support of India is false. The video was altered from the original video by using audio manipulation.  The original video of Afghanistan players celebrating victory over Pakistan by chanting "Allah-hu Akbar" was posted in the official Instagram account of Mohammad Nabi, an Afghan cricketer. Thus the information is fake and misleading.

• Claim: Afghan cricket players chanted "Vande Mataram" to express support for India after the victory over Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
• Claimed on: YouTube
• Fact Check: Fake & Misleading

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Introduction

In order to effectively deal with growing cyber crime and threats the Telangana police has taken initiative by launching Law Enforcement Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) Council, an innovative project launched in Telangana, India, which is a significant response to the growing cyber threat landscape. With cyber incidents increasing in the recent years and concerning statistics such as a tenfold rise in password-based attacks and an increase in ransomware attacks, the Council aims to strengthen the region's digital defenses. It primarily focuses on reducing vulnerability, improving resilience, and providing real-time threat intelligence. By promoting partnerships between the public and private sectors, offering legal and regulatory guidance, and facilitating networking and learning opportunities, this collaborative effort involving industry, academia, and law enforcement is a crucial move towards protecting critical infrastructure and businesses from cyber threats, the Telangana police in partnership with industry and academia, has launched the Law Enforcement CISO (Chief Information Security Officers) Council of India on 7^th October 2023. Chief of the Central Crime Station Stephen Ravindra said that the forum is a path-breaking initiative and the Council represents an open platform for all the enforcement agencies in the country. The upcoming inititiative inculcate close association with different stakeholders, which includes government departments, startups, centers of excellence and international collaborations, carving a nieche for a sturdy cybersecurity envirnoment. 

Enhancing Cybersecurity is the Need of the Hour:

The recent launch of the Law Enforcement CISO Council in Hyderabad, India emphasized the need for government organizations and industries to prioritize the protection of their digital space. Cyber incidents, ransomware attacks, and threats to critical infrastructure have been on the rise, making it essential to take proactive cybersecurity measures. Disturbing statistics regarding cyber threats, such as password-based attacks, BEC (Business Email Compromise) attempts, and vulnerabilities in the supply chain, highlight the importance of addressing these issues urgently. This initiative aims to provide real-time threat intelligence, legal guidance, and encourages collaboration between public and private organizations in order to combat cybercrime. Given that every cyber attack has criminal elements, the establishment of these councils is a crucial step towards minimizing vulnerabilities, enhancing resilience, and ensuring the security of our digital world.

International Issue & Domestic Issue:

The announcement by the Telangana State Police, is a proactive step to form a first-of-its-kind Law Enforcement CISO Council (LECC), as part of an initiative from the State government to give a further impetus to cyber security. Jointly with its law enforcement partners, the Telangana Police has decided to make cyber cops more efficient and shape them on par with the technology advancements. The Telangana police have proved its commitment for a secure cyber environment by recovering INR 2.2 crore and  INR 6.8 crore lost by people in cyber frauds which is industry’s highest rate of helping the victims. 

The Police department complemented efforts by corporate executives for their personal interest in the subject and mentioned police officers’ expertise and inputs from professionals from the industry need to work cohesively to prevent further increase in the number of cyber crime cases. Data indicates that the exponential increase in cyber threats in recent times necessitates an informed and prudent action with the cooperation and collaboration of the IT Department of Telangana, centers of excellence, start-ups, white hats or ethical hackers, and international associations.

A report from Telangana commissioner states the trend of a surge in the number of cyber incidents and vulnerabilities of Government organizations, Critical Infrastructure and MSMEs and stressed that every cyber security breaches have an element of criminality in it. The Law Enforcement CISO Council is a progressive step in this direction which ensures a reduced cyber attacks, enhanced resilience, actionable strategic and tactical real-time threat intelligence, legal guidance, opportunities for public private partnerships, networking, learning and much more.

The Secretary of SCSC, shared some alarming statistics on the threats that are currently rampant across the digital world. To combat it in today’s era of widespread digital dependence, the program launched by the Telangana Police stands as a commendable step or an initiative that offers a glimmer of aspiration. It brings together all the heroes who want to protect the digital spaces and counter the growing number of threats.

Contribution of Telangana Police for carving a niche to be followed:  

The launch of the Law Enforcement CISO Council in Telangana represents a pivotal step in addressing the pressing challenges posed by escalating cyber threats. As highlighted by the Director General of Police, the initiative recognizes the critical need to combat cybercrime, which is growing at an alarming rate. The Council not only acknowledges the casual approach often taken towards cybersecurity but also aims to rectify it by fostering collaboration between law enforcement, industry, and academia.

One of the most significant positive aspects of this initiative is its commitment to sharing intelligence, ensuring that the hard-earned lessons from cyber fraud victims are translated into protective measures for others. By collaborating with the IT Department of Telangana, centers of excellence, startups, and ethical hackers, the Council is poised to develop robust Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) and innovative tools to counter cyber threats effectively.

Moreover, the Council's emphasis on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) underscores its proactive approach in dealing with the evolving landscape of cyber threats. It offers a platform for networking and learning, enabling information sharing, and will contribute to reducing the attack surface, enhancing resilience, and providing real-time threat intelligence. Additionally, the Council will provide legal and regulatory guidance, which is crucial in navigating the complex realm of cybercrime. This collective effort represents a promising way forward in safeguarding digital spaces, critical infrastructure, and industries against cyber threats and ensuring a safer digital future for all.

‍Conclusion:

The Law Enforcement CISO Council in Telangana is an innovative effort to strengthen cybersecurity in the state. With the rise in cybercrimes and vulnerabilities, the council brings together expertise from various sectors to establish a strong defense against digital threats. Its goals include reducing vulnerabilities, improving resilience, and ensuring timely threat intelligence. Additionally, the council provides guidance on legal and regulatory matters, promotes collaborations between the public and private sectors, and creates opportunities for networking and knowledge-sharing. Through these important initiatives, the CISO Council will play a crucial role in establishing digital security and protecting the state from cyber threats.

References:

• http://www.uniindia.com/telangana-police-launches-india-s-first-law-enforcement-ciso-council/south/news/3065497.html
• https://indtoday.com/telangana-police-launched-indias-first-law-enforcement-ciso-council/
• https://www.technologyforyou.org/telangana-police-launched-indias-first-law-enforcement-ciso-council/
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/victims-of-cyber-fraud-get-back-rs-2-2-cr-lost-money-in-bank-a/cs/articleshow/104226477.cms?from=mdr

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides a varied range of services and continues to catch intrigue and experimentation. It has altered how we create and consume content. Specific prompts can now be used to create desired images enhancing experiences of storytelling and even education. However, as this content can influence public perception, its potential to cause misinformation must be noted as well. The realistic nature of the images can make it hard to discern as artificially generated by the untrained eye. As AI operates by analysing the data it was trained on previously to deliver, the lack of contextual knowledge and human biases (while framing prompts) also come into play. The stakes are higher whilst dabbling with subjects such as history, as there is a fine line between the creation of content with the intent of mere entertainment and the spread of misinformation owing to biases and lack of veracity left unchecked. AI-generated images enhance storytelling but can also spread misinformation, especially in historical contexts. For instance, an AI-generated image of London during the Black Death might include inaccurate details, misleading viewers about the past.

The Rise of AI-Generated Historical Images as Entertainment

Recently, generated images and videos of various historical instances along with the point of view of the people present have been floating all over the internet. Some of them include the streets of London during the Black Death in the 1300s in England, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius at Pompeii etc. Hogne and Dan, two creators who operate accounts named POV Lab and Time Traveller POV on TikTok state that they create such videos as they feel that seeing the past through a first-person perspective is an interesting way to bring history back to life while highlighting the cool parts, helping the audience learn something new. Mostly sensationalised for visual impact and storytelling, such content has been called out by historians for inconsistencies with respect to details particular of the time. Presently, artists admit to their creations being inaccurate, reasoning them to be more of an artistic interpretation than fact-checked documentaries. 

It is important to note that AI models may inaccurately depict objects (issues with lateral inversion), people(anatomical implausibilities), or scenes due to "present-ist" bias. As noted by Lauren Tilton, an associate professor of digital humanities at the University of Richmond, many AI models primarily rely on data from the last 15 years, making them prone to modern-day distortions especially when analysing and creating historical content. The idea is to spark interest rather than replace genuine historical facts while it is assumed that engagement with these images and videos is partly a product of the fascination with upcoming AI tools. Apart from this, there are also chatbots like Hello History and Charater.ai which enable simulations of interacting with historical figures that have piqued curiosity.

Although it makes for an interesting perspective, one cannot ignore that our inherent biases play a role in how we perceive the information presented. Dangerous consequences include feeding into conspiracy theories and the erasure of facts as information is geared particularly toward garnering attention and providing entertainment. Furthermore, exposure of such content to an impressionable audience with a lesser attention span increases the gravity of the matter. In such cases, information regarding the sources used for creation becomes an important factor.

Acknowledging the risks posed by AI-generated images and their susceptibility to create misinformation, the Government of Spain has taken a step in regulating the AI content created. It has passed a bill (for regulating AI-Generated content) that mandates the labelling of AI-generated images and failure to do so would warrant massive fines (up to $38 million or 7% of turnover on companies). The idea is to ensure that content creators label their content which would help to spot images that are artificially created from those that are not.

The Way Forward: Navigating AI and Misinformation

While AI-generated images make for exciting possibilities for storytelling and enabling intrigue, their potential to spread misinformation should not be overlooked. To address these challenges, certain measures should be encouraged.

1. Media Literacy and Awareness – In this day and age critical thinking and media literacy among consumers of content is imperative. Awareness, understanding, and access to tools that aid in detecting AI-generated content can prove to be helpful.
2. AI Transparency and Labeling – Implementing regulations similar to Spain’s bill on labelling content could be a guiding crutch for people who have yet to learn to tell apart AI-generated content from others.
3. Ethical AI Development – AI developers must prioritize ethical considerations in training using diverse and historically accurate datasets and sources which would minimise biases.

As AI continues to evolve, balancing innovation with responsibility is essential. By taking proactive measures in the early stages, we can harness AI's potential while safeguarding the integrity and trust of the sources while generating images.

References:

• https://www.npr.org/2023/06/07/1180768459/how-to-identify-ai-generated-deepfake-images
• https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ai-image-misinformation-surged-google-research-finds-rcna154333
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy87076pdw3o
• https://newskarnataka.com/technology/government-releases-guide-to-help-citizens-identify-ai-generated-images/21052024/
• https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/04/11/1071104/ai-helping-historians-analyze-past/
• https://www.psypost.org/ai-models-struggle-with-expert-level-global-history-knowledge/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M65IYIWlqes&t=2597s
• https://www.vice.com/en/article/people-are-creating-records-of-fake-historical-events-using-ai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/spain-impose-massive-fines-not-labelling-ai-generated-content-2025-03-11/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/13/documentary-ai-guidelines?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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