#FactCheck - AI-Generated Video of Peacock ‘Rescue’ Falsely Shared as Real
Executive Summary:
A video showing a peacock allegedly trapped in ice has been going viral on social media. In the clip, the peacock appears to be frozen in a snow-covered area. Moments later, a man is seen approaching with a hammer and breaking the ice to rescue the bird. Social media users are sharing the video as a real-life incident, praising the peacock’s resilience and describing the scene as inspiring. However, CyberPeace research found the viral claim to be misleading. Our research revealed that the video was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and is being falsely circulated as a real incident.
Claim:
Facebook user ‘Ras Bihari Pathak’ shared the viral video on January 25, 2026, with the caption: “This peacock is not standing on ice, but on courage. It reminds us that no matter how harsh the circumstances are, hope always returns in colours.” The archived version of the post can be accessed here.
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we first conducted a keyword search on Google to check whether any such real incident involving a peacock trapped in ice had been reported. However, no credible or verified media reports were found. Next, we closely examined the viral video. Upon observation, the peacock’s movements and reactions appeared unnatural and artificial. The motion lacked realistic physical behaviour, raising suspicion that the video might have been digitally generated. To confirm this, we analysed the clip using the AI video detection tool Hive Moderation, which indicated a 99 per cent or higher likelihood that the video was AI-generated.
Conclusion:
CyberPeace research confirms that the viral video showing a peacock allegedly trapped in ice is not real. The clip has been created using Artificial Intelligence and is being shared on social media with a false and misleading claim.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary:
A viral claim circulated in social media that Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wore clothes made of pure gold during their pre-wedding cruise party in Europe. Thorough analysis revealed abnormalities in image quality, particularly between the face, neck, and hands compared to the claimed gold clothing, leads to possible AI manipulation. A keyword search found no credible news reports or authentic images supporting this claim. Further analysis using AI detection tools, TrueMedia and Hive Moderator, confirmed substantial evidence of AI fabrication, with a high probability of the image being AI-generated or a deep fake. Additionally, a photo from a previous event at Jio World Plaza matched with the pose of the manipulated image, further denying the claim and indicating that the image of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wearing golden outfit during their pre-wedding cruise was digitally altered.
Claims:
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wore clothes made of pure gold during their pre-wedding cruise party in Europe.
Fact Check:
When we received the posts, we found anomalies that were usually found in edited images or AI manipulated images, particularly between the face, neck, and hands.
It’s very unusual in any image. So we then checked in AI Image detection software named Hive Moderation detection tool and found it to be 95.9% AI manipulated.
We also checked with another widely used AI detection tool named True Media. True Media also found it to be 100% to be made using AI.
This implies that the image is AI-generated. To find the original image that has been edited, we did keyword search. We found an image with the same pose as in the manipulated image, with the title "Radhika Merchant, Anant Ambani pose with Mukesh Ambani at Jio World Plaza opening”. The two images can be compared to verify that the digitally altered image is the same.
Hence, it’s confirmed that the viral image is digitally altered and has no connection with the 2nd Pre-wedding cruise party in Europe. Thus the viral image is fake and misleading.
Conclusion:
The claim that Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wore clothes made of pure gold at their pre-wedding cruise party in Europe is false. The analysis of the image showed signs of manipulation, and a lack of credible news reports or authentic photos supports that it was likely digitally altered. AI detection tools confirmed a high probability that the image was fake, and a comparison with a genuine photo from another event revealed that the image had been edited. Therefore, the claim is false and misleading.
- Claim: Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wore clothes made of pure gold during their pre-wedding cruise party in Europe.
- Claimed on: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
Introduction
In the era of digitalisation, social media has become an essential part of our lives, with people spending a lot of time updating every moment of their lives on these platforms. Social media networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube have emerged as significant sources of Information. However, the proliferation of misinformation is alarming since misinformation can have grave consequences for individuals, organisations, and society as a whole. Misinformation can spread rapidly via social media, leaving a higher impact on larger audiences. Bad actors can exploit algorithms for their benefit or some other agenda, using tactics such as clickbait headlines, emotionally charged language, and manipulated algorithms to increase false information.
Impact
The impact of misinformation on our lives is devastating, affecting individuals, communities, and society as a whole. False or misleading health information can have serious consequences, such as believing in unproven remedies or misinformation about some vaccines can cause serious illness, disability, or even death. Any misinformation related to any financial scheme or investment can lead to false or poor financial decisions that could lead to bankruptcy and loss of long-term savings.
In a democratic nation, misinformation plays a vital role in forming a political opinion, and the misinformation spread on social media during elections can affect voter behaviour, damage trust, and may cause political instability.
Mitigating strategies
The best way to minimise or stop the spreading of misinformation requires a multi-faceted approach. These strategies include promoting media literacy with critical thinking, verifying information before sharing, holding social media platforms accountable, regulating misinformation, supporting critical research, and fostering healthy means of communication to build a resilient society.
To put an end to the cycle of misinformation and move towards a better future, we must create plans to combat the spread of false information. This will require coordinated actions from individuals, communities, tech companies, and institutions to promote a culture of information accuracy and responsible behaviour.
The widespread spread of false information on social media platforms presents serious problems for people, groups, and society as a whole. It becomes clear that battling false information necessitates a thorough and multifaceted strategy as we go deeper into comprehending the nuances of this problem.
Encouraging consumers to develop media literacy and critical thinking abilities is essential to preventing the spread of false information. Being educated is essential for equipping people to distinguish between reliable sources and false information. Giving individuals the skills to assess information critically will enable them to choose the content they share and consume with knowledge. Public awareness campaigns should be used to promote and include initiatives that aim to improve media literacy in school curriculum.
Ways to Stop Misinformation
As we have seen, misinformation can cause serious implications; the best way to minimise or stop the spreading of misinformation requires a multifaceted approach; here are some strategies to combat misinformation.
- Promote Media Literacy with Critical Thinking: Educate individuals about how to critically evaluate information, fact check, and recognise common tactics used to spread misinformation, the users must use their critical thinking before forming any opinion or perspective and sharing the content.
- Verify Information: we must encourage people to verify the information before sharing, especially if it seems sensational or controversial, and encourage the consumption of news or any information from a reputable source of news that follows ethical journalistic standards.
- Accountability: Advocate for social media networks' openness and responsibility in the fight against misinformation. Encourage platforms to put in place procedures to detect and delete fraudulent content while boosting credible sources.
- Regulate Misinformation: Looking at the current situation, it is important to advocate for policies and regulations that address the spread of misinformation while safeguarding freedom of expression. Transparency in online communication by identifying the source of information and disclosing any conflict of interest.
- Support Critical Research: Invest in research and study on the sources, impacts, and remedies to misinformation. Support collaborative initiatives by social scientists, psychologists, journalists, and technology to create evidence-based techniques for countering misinformation.
Conclusion
To prevent the cycle of misinformation and move towards responsible use of the Internet, we must create strategies to combat the spread of false information. This will require coordinated actions from individuals, communities, tech companies, and institutions to promote a culture of information accuracy and responsible behaviour.
Introduction
Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common and most sophisticated around the world. India's Telecom operator BSNL has allegedly suffered a data breach. Reportedly, Hackers managed to steal sensitive information of BSNL customers and the same is now available for sale on the dark web. The leaked information includes names email addresses billing details contact numbers and outgoing call records of BSNL customers victims include both BSNL fibre and landline users. The threat actor using Querel has released a sample data set on a dark web forum and the data set contains 32,000 lines of leaked information the threat actor has claimed that the total number of lines across all databases amounts to approximately 2.9 Million.
The Persistent Threat to Digital Fortresses
As we plunge into the abyssal planes of the internet, where the shadowy tendrils of cyberspace stretch out like the countless arms of some digital leviathan, we find ourselves facing a stark and chilling revelation. At its murky depths lurks the dark web, a term that brings forth images of a clandestine digital netherworld where anonymity reigns supreme and the conventional rules of law struggle to cast their net. It is here, in this murky digital landscape, where the latest trophy of cyber larceny has been flagrantly displayed — the plundered data of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), India's state-owned telecommunications colossus.
This latest breach serves not simply as a singular incident in the tapestry of cyber incursions but as a profound reminder of the enduring fragility of our digital bastions against the onslaught wielded by the ever-belligerent adversaries in cyberspace.
The Breach
Tracing the genesis of this worrisome event, we find a disconcerting story unfold. It began to surface when a threat actor, shrouded in the mystique of the digital shadows and brandishing the enigmatic alias 'Perell,' announced their triumph on the dark web. This self-styled cyber gladiator took to the encrypted recesses of this hidden domain with bravado, professing to have extracted 'critical information' from the inner sanctum of BSNL's voluminous databases. It is from these very vaults that the most sensitive details of the company's fibre network and landline customers originate.
A portion of the looted data, a mere fragment of a more extensive and damning corpus, was brandished like a nefariously obtained banner for all to see on the dark web. It was an ostentatious display, a teaser intended to tantalize and terrify — approximately 32,000 lines of data, a hint of the reportedly vast 2.9 million lines of data that 'Perell' claimed to have sequestered in their digital domain. The significance of this compromised information cannot be overstated; it is not mere bytes and bits strewn about in the cyber-wind. It constitutes the very essence of countless individuals, an amalgamation of email addresses, billing histories, contact numbers, and a myriad of other intimate details that, if weaponized, could set the stage for heinous acts of identity theft, insidious financial fraud, and precisely sculpted phishing schemes.
Ramifications
The ramifications of such a breach extend far beyond individual concerns of privacy invasion. This event signifies an alarming clarion call highlighting the susceptibility of our digital identities. In an era where the strands of our daily lives are ever more entwined with the World Wide Web, such penetrations are not merely an affront to corporate entities; they are a direct assault on the individual's inherent right to security and the implicit trust placed in the institutions that profess to shield their most private information.
Ripples of concern have emanated throughout the cybersecurity community, prompting urgent action from Cert-In, India's cyber security sentinel. Upon notification of this digital transgression, alarms were sounded, and yet, in a disconcerting turn, BSNL has remained enigmatic, adopting a silence that seems to belie the gravity of the situation. This reticence stands in contrast to the urgency for open dialogue and transparency — it is within the anvil of these principles that the foundations of trust are laid and sustained.
Conclusion
The narrative of the BSNL data breach transcends a singular tale of digital larceny or vulnerability; it unfolds as an insistent call to action, demanding a unified and proactive response to the perpetually morphing threat landscape that haunts our technologically dependent world. It is an uncomfortable reminder that in the intricately woven web of our online existence, we each stand as potential targets with our personal data held precariously as the coveted prize for those shadow-walkers and data marauders who dwell in the secretive realms of the internet's darkest corners.
