#FactCheck - AI-Generated Visuals Falsely Shared as Government Subsidy for Free Electricity and Air Conditioners in the Philippines

Introduction

‍

In the hyperconnected world, cyber incidents can no longer be treated as sporadic disruptions; such incidents have become an everyday occurrence. The attack landscape today is very consequential and shows significant multiplication in its frequency, with ransomware attacks incapacitating a health system, phishing attacks hitting a financial institution, or state-sponsored attacks on critical infrastructures. Towards counteracting such threats, traditional ways alone are not enough, they gravely rely on manual research and human intellect. Attackers exercise speed, scale, and stealth, and defenders are always four steps behind. With such a widening gap, it is deemed necessary to facilitate incident response and crisis management with the intervention of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) for faster detection, context-driven decision-making, and collaborative response beyond human capabilities.

‍

Incident Response and Crisis Management

‍

Incident response is the structured way in which organisations deal with responding to detecting, segregating, and recovering from security incidents. Crisis management takes this even further, dealing not only with the technical fallout of a breach but also its business, reputation, and regulatory implications. Echelon used to depend on manual teams of people sorting through logs, cross-correlating alarms, and generating responses, a paradigm effective for small numbers but quickly inadequate in today's threat climate. Today's opponents attack at machine speed, employing automation to launch attacks. Under such circumstances, responding with slow, manual methods means delay and draconian consequences. The AI and automation introduction is a paradigm change that allows organisations to equate the pace and precision with which attackers initiate attacks in responding to incidents.

‍

How Automation Reinvents Response

‍

Cybercrime automation liberates cybercrime analysts from boring and repetitive tasks that consume time. An analyst manually detects potential threats from a list of hundreds each day, while automated systems sift through noise and focus only on genuine threats. Malware can automatically cause infected computers to be disconnected from the network to avoid spreading or may automatically have its suspicious account permissions removed without human intervention. The security orchestration systems move further by introducing playbooks, predefined steps describing how incidents of a certain type (e.g., phishing attempts or malware infections) should be handled. This ensures fast containment while ensuring consistency and minimising human error amid the urgency of dealing with thousands of alerts.

Automation takes care of threat detection, prioritisation, and containment, allowing human analysts to refocus on more complex decision-making. Instead of drowning in the sea of trivial alerts, security teams can now devote their efforts to more strategic areas: threat hunting and longer-term resilience. Automation is a strong tool of defence, cutting response times down from hours to minutes.

‍

The Intelligence Layer: AI in Action

‍

If automation provides speed, then AI is what allows the brain to be intelligent and flexible. Working with old and fixed-rule systems, AI-enabled solutions learn from experiences, adapt to changes in threats, and discover hidden patterns of which human analysts themselves would be unaware. For instance, machine learning algorithms identify normal behaviour on a corporate network and raise alerts on any anomalies that could indicate an insider attack or an advanced persistent threat. Similarly, AI systems sift through global threat intelligence to predict likely attack vectors so organisations can have their vulnerabilities fixed before they are exploited.

AI also boosts forensic analysis. Instead of searching forever for clues, analysts let AI-driven systems trace back to the origin of an event, identify vulnerabilities exploited by attackers, and flag systems that are still under attack. During a crisis, AI is a decision support that predicts outcomes of different scenarios and recommends the best response. In response to a ransomware attack, for example, based on context, AI might advise separating a single network segment or restoring from backup or alerting law enforcement. 

‍

Real-World Applications and Case Studies

‍

Already, this mitigation has been provided in the form of real-world applications of automation and AI. Consider, for example, IBM Watson for Cybersecurity, which has been applied in analysing unstructured threat intelligence and providing analysts with actionable results in minutes, rather than days. Like this, systems driven by AI in DARPA's Cyber Grand Challenge demonstrated the ability to automatically identify an instant vulnerability, patch it, and reveal the potential of a self-healing system. AI-powered fraud detection systems stop suspicious transactions in the middle of their execution and work all night to prevent losses. What is common in all these examples is that automation and AI lessen human effort, increase accuracy, and in the event of a cyberattack, buy precious time.

‍

Challenges and Limitations

‍

While promising, the technology is still not fully mature. The quality of an AI system is highly dependent on the training data provided; poor training can generate false positives that drown teams or worse false negatives that allow attackers to proceed unabated. Attackers have also started targeting AI itself by poisoning datasets or designing malware that does not get detected. Aside from risks that are more technical, the operational and financial costs involved in implementing advanced AI-based systems present expensive threats to any company. Organisations will have to make expenditures not only on technology but also for the training of staff to best utilise these tools. There are some ethical and privacy issues to consider as well because systems may be processing sensitive personal data, so global data protection laws such as the GDPR or India's DPDP Act could come into conflict.

‍

Creating a Human-AI Collaboration

‍

The future is not going to be one of substitution by machines but of creating human-AI synergy. Automation can do the drudgery, AI can provide smarts, and human professionals can use judgment, imagination, and ethical decisions. One would want to build AI-fuelled Security Operations Centres where technology and human experts work in tandem. Continuous training must be provided to AI models to reduce false alarms and make them most resistant against adversarial attacks. Regular conduct of crisis drills that combine AI tools and human teams can ensure preparedness for real-time events. Likewise, it is worth integrating ethical AI guidelines into security frameworks to ensure a stronger defence while respecting privacy and regulatory compliance.

‍

Conclusion

‍

Cyber-attacks are an eventuality in this modern time, but the actual impact need not be so harsh. The organisations can maintain the programmatic method of integrating automation and AI into incident response and crisis management so that the response against the very threat can be shifted from reactive firefighting to proactive resilience. Automation gives speed and efficiency while AI gives intelligence and foresight, hence putting the defenders on par and possibly exceeding the speed and sophistication of the attackers. But an utmost system without human inquisitiveness, ethical reasoning, and strategic foresight would remain imperfect. The best defence is in that human-machine relationship symbiotic system wherein automation and AI take care of how fast and how many cyber threats come in, whereas human intellect ensures that every response is aligned with larger organizational goals. This synergy is where cybersecurity resiliency will reside in the future-the defenders won't just be reacting to emergencies but will rather be driving the way.

‍

References

‍

• https://www.sisainfosec.com/blogs/incident-response-automation/
• https://stratpilot.ai/role-of-ai-in-crisis-management-and-its-critical-importance/
• https://www.juvare.com/integrating-artificial-intelligence-into-crisis-management/
• https://www.motadata.com/blog/role-of-automation-in-incident-management/

‍

Introduction

India's broadcasting sector has undergone significant changes in recent years with technological advancements such as the introduction of new platforms like Direct-to-Home (DTH), Internet Protocol television (IPTV), Over-The-Top (OTT), and integrated models. Platform changes, emerging technologies and advancements in the advertising space have all necessitated the need for new governing laws that take these developments into account. 

The Union Government and concerned ministry have realised there is a pressing need to develop a robust regulatory framework for the Indian broadcasting sector in the country and consequently, a draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, was released in November 2023 and the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had invited feedback and comments from different stakeholders. The draft Bill aims to establish a unified framework for regulating broadcasting services in the country, replacing the current Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and other policy guidelines governing broadcasting.

Recently a new draft of an updated ‘Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024,’ was shared with selected broadcasters, associations, streaming services, and tech firms, each marked with their identifier to prevent leaks. 

Key Highlights of the Updated Broadcasting Bill 

As per the recent draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, social media accounts could be identified as ‘Digital News Broadcasters’ and can be classified within the ambit of the regulation. Some of the major aspects of the new bill were first reported by Hindustan Times. 

The new draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, proposes that individuals who regularly upload videos to social media, make podcasts, or write about current affairs online could be classified as Digital News Broadcasters. This entails that YouTubers and Instagrammers who receive a share of advertising revenue or monetize their social media presence through affiliate activities will be regulated as Digital News Broadcasters. This includes channels, podcasts, and blogs that cover news and utilise Google AdSense. They must comply with a Programme Code and Advertising Code.

Online content creators who do not provide news or current affairs but provide programming and curated programs beyond a certain threshold will be treated as OTT broadcasters in case they provide content licensed or live through a website or social media platform.

The new version also introduces new obligations for intermediaries and social media intermediaries related to streaming services and digital news broadcasters, and, in contrast to the last version circulated in 2023, the latest also carries provisions targeting online advertising. In the context of streaming services, OTT broadcasting services are no longer a part of the definition of "internet broadcasting services." The definition of OTT broadcasting service has also been revised, allowing content creators who regularly upload their content to social media to be considered as OTT broadcasting services.

The new definition of an 'intermediary' includes social media intermediaries, advertisement intermediaries, internet service providers, online search engines, and online marketplaces. 

The new Bill allows the government to prescribe different due diligence guidelines for social media platforms and online advertisement intermediaries and requires all intermediaries to provide appropriate information, including information pertaining to the OTT broadcasters and Digital News Broadcasters on their platform, to the central government to ensure compliance with the act. This entails the liability provisions for social media intermediaries which do not provide information “pertaining to OTT Broadcasters and Digital News Broadcasters” on its platforms for compliance. This suggests that when information is sought about a YouTube, Instagram or X/Twitter user, the platform will need to provide this information to the Indian government.

A new draft bill contains specific provisions governing ‘Online Advertising’ and to do so it creates the category of 'advertising intermediaries'. These intermediaries enable the buying or selling of advertisement space on the internet or placing advertisements on online platforms without endorsing the advertisement. 

Final Words

The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is making efforts to propose robust regulatory changes to the country's new-age broadcast sector, which would cover the specific provisions for Digital News Broadcasters, OTT Broadcasters and Intermediaries. The proposed bill defining the scope and obligation of each. 

However, these changes will have significant implications for press and creative freedom. The changes in the new version of the updated bill from its previous draft expanded the applicability of the bill to a larger number of key actors, this move brought ‘content creators’ under the definition of OTT or digital news broadcasters, which raises concerns about overly rigid provisions and might face criticism from media representative perspectives. 

According to recent media reports, the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024 version has been withdrawn by the I&B ministry facing criticism from relevant stakeholders.

The ministry must take due consideration and feedback from concerned stakeholders and place reliance on balancing individual rights while promoting a healthy regulated landscape considering the needs of the new-age broadcasting sector.

References:

1. https://www.medianama.com/2024/07/223-india-broadcast-bill-online-creators/#:~:text=Online%20content%20creators%20that%20do,or%20a%20social%20media%20platform.
2. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-draft-of-broadcasting-bill-news-influencers-may-be-classified-as-broadcasters-101721961764666.html
3. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/broadcasting-bill-still-in-drafting-stage-mib-tells-rs-101722058753083.html
4. https://www.newslaundry.com/2024/07/29/indias-new-broadcast-bill-now-has-compliance-requirements-for-youtubers-and-instagrammers
5. https://m.thewire.in/article/media/social-media-videos-text-digital-news-broadcasting-bill
6. https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/Public%20Notice_07.12.2023.pdf
7. https://news.abplive.com/news/india/centre-withdraws-draft-of-broadcasting-services-regulation-bill-1709770

‍

Introduction

‍

In today’s digital environment, national security challenges extend well beyond traditional military domains. One growing concern is the unauthorised extraction of information, which is increasingly being used through subtle and gradual methods rather than overt force. Recent advisories point to a rising pattern in which foreign organisations seek to recruit individuals to collect and handle sensitive material, often using financial cybercrime networks as part of their operational ecosystem. This trend has implications for journalists, defence personnel, researchers, students, and academics working in strategic, geopolitical, and security-related fields. The core risk lies in the fact that these activities can proceed quietly and without coercion, with participants sometimes unaware that their actions may contribute to intelligence gathering efforts.

‍

Digital Platforms as Vectors for Targeted Recruitment

‍

Professional networking and job portals have become central to modern career development. The same visibility that supports professional advancement is being misused by others. Foreign entities reportedly use these platforms to identify individuals with experience in journalism, defence services, strategic studies, cybersecurity, and international relations.

Early-career professionals and students from reputed Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are particularly vulnerable because they seek freelance work, research experience and international partnerships. Initial outreach is often framed as legitimate consultancy, research assistance, or content development work, which creates the impression of professional credibility through normal business operations.

‍

Task-Based Information Extraction

‍

The organisation assigns writing and research duties to new employees, which seem simple to perform. The topics of source-based articles and analytical pieces include the following two subjects about India.

• The first subject examines India's foreign relations with its strategic partnerships.
• The second subject investigates how armed forces operate through different military movements.
• The third subject focuses on defence procurement activities, which include weapon system development and modernisation projects.
• The fourth subject investigates military activities through joint training exercises and war simulation exercises.

The public possesses most of this knowledge, but its threat emerges from the process of collecting and interpreting data with contextual information. The collection of insights from various sources enables organisations to identify operational patterns, strategic priorities and capacity evaluations which go beyond particular data points.

‍

The Financial Cybercrime Nexus

‍

The financial system that pays contributors presents itself as a major problem for this activity. Payments are often routed through:

• Indian bank accounts, including student accounts
• Funds originating from cyber fraud or financial crimes
• Occasional overseas transfers structured to avoid scrutiny

The system establishes a direct connection between financial cybercrime activities and the theft of confidential information, which brings unintentional danger of legal issues and public image damage to those involved. The Indian legal system considers all connections to illegal financial activities as serious offenses even when the person involved did not intend to commit any crime.

‍

Concealed Identities and Data Harvesting
‍

The entities that conduct recruitment activities willfully hide their real identities. The organisation uses intermediaries for their operations, which they present as foreign consulting firms, think tanks and analytics companies. Contributors who have defence or security experience will face requests to provide their personal data, which includes their PAN and Aadhaar information.

The collection of such data raises significant concerns. The system creates permanent privacy hazards that permit unauthorised access to personal data and identity theft and coercive practices. The ultimate use of this information often remains opaque to the individuals providing it.
‍

Why Incremental Leakage Matters
‍

The threat operates silently because it lacks the visibility of major cyberattacks. The combined effect of all articles and research notes becomes dangerous because no single element can cause harm. Hostile organisations can use incremental information leakage to undermine national security because they can analyse their gathered data to create:

• maps of strategic capabilities,
• defence readiness evaluations,
• security and foreign policy narrative control.

The process of information sovereignty erosion occurs through the establishment of undefined boundaries between journalism and academic research, and consultancy and strategic analysis. The lack of clear boundaries between journalism and academic research, consultancy and strategic analysis makes it difficult to determine who is responsible for research outcomes.
‍

The Role of Institutions and Individuals
‍

The universities and media outlets, together with the professional organizations have essential functions in their quest to diminish environmental effects. The organisation should perform the following proactive steps:

• The organisation should organise training programs which will educate people about its services.
• The organisation should require researchers to conduct thorough investigations before they accept paid assignments for research work and writing tasks.
• The organisation should recommend that people do not share their identity documents except when their institution requires it for authentication purposes.
• The organisation should create specific methods to report any suspicious activities that people might encounter.

Students and professionals need to understand that their specialised knowledge and trustworthiness can be used against them. People must protect their digital identities through three actions, which include verifying their affiliations and assessing the complete effects of their daily activities.
‍

Conclusion

‍

Cyber enabled threats to national security increasingly operate in grey zones, which makes their legality, legitimacy, and true intent difficult to assess. The convergence of foreign recruitment efforts, financial cybercrime, and covert information gathering creates a persistent risk that is still not widely recognised or fully understood. The state does not bear exclusive responsibility for protecting sensitive information. National resilience in an interconnected knowledge economy requires organisations to develop three core capacities, which include institutional awareness and restraint and institutional vigilance. Cyber resilience depends on two essential factors, which include secure systems and informed citizens, because data continues to determine power relationships.
‍

References
‍

• https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Cybersecurity_Outlook_2025.pdf
• https://www.cyber-espionage.ch/
• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/18/mi5-issues-alert-to-mps-and-peers-over-chinese-espionage
• http://cybercrimejournal.com/menuscript/index.php/cybercrimejournal/article/download/263/92
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368461675_Cyber_Espionage_Consequences_as_a_Growing_Threat

‍