#FactCheck - Debunked: Viral Video Falsely Claims Allu Arjun Joins Congress Campaign

Introduction

Cyber slavery is a form of modern exploitation that begins with online deception and evolves into physical human trafficking. In recent times, cyber slavery has emerged as a serious threat that involves exploiting individuals through digital means under coercive or deceptive conditions. Offenders target innocent individuals and lure them by giving fake promises to offer them employment or alike. Cyber slavery can occur on a global scale, targeting vulnerable individuals worldwide through the internet and is a disturbing continuum of online manipulation that leads to real-world abuse and exploitation, where individuals are entrapped by false promises and subjected to severe human rights violations. It can take many different forms, such as coercive involvement in cybercrime, forced employment in online frauds, exploitation in the gig economy, or involuntary slavery. This issue has escalated to the highest level where Indians are being trafficked for jobs in countries like Laos and Cambodia. Recently over 5,000 Indians were reported to be trapped in Southeast Asia, where they are allegedly being coerced into carrying out cyber fraud. It was reported that particularly Indian techies were lured to Cambodia for high-paying jobs and later they found themselves trapped in cyber fraud schemes, forced to work 16 hours a day under severe conditions. This is the harsh reality for thousands of Indian tech professionals who are lured under false pretences to employment in Southeast Asia, where they are forced into committing cyber crimes.

Over 5,000 Indians Held in Cyber Slavery and Human Trafficking Rings

India has rescued 250 citizens in Cambodia who were forced to run online scams, with more than 5,000 Indians stuck in Southeast Asia. The victims, mostly young and tech-savvy, are lured into illegal online work ranging from money laundering and crypto fraud to love scams, where they pose as lovers online. It was reported that Indians are being trafficked for jobs in countries like Laos and Cambodia, where they are forced to conduct cybercrime activities. Victims are often deceived about where they would be working, thinking it will be in Thailand or the Philippines. Instead, they are sent to Cambodia, where their travel documents are confiscated and they are forced to carry out a variety of cybercrimes, from stealing life savings to attacking international governmental or non-governmental organizations. The Indian embassy in Phnom Penh has also released an advisory warning Indian nationals of advertisements for fake jobs in the country through which victims are coerced to undertake online financial scams and other illegal activities.

Regulatory Landscape

Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) is prohibited under the Constitution of India under Article

23 (1). The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, of 1956 (ITPA) is the premier legislation for the prevention of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, is a comprehensive legal provision aimed at combating organized crime and will be useful in persecuting people involved in such large-scale scams. India has also ratified certain bilateral agreements with several countries to facilitate intelligence sharing and coordinated efforts to combat transnational organized crime and human trafficking.

CyberPeace Policy Recommendations

● Misuse of Technology has exploited the new genre of cybercrimes whereby cybercriminals utilise social media platforms as a tool for targeting innocent individuals. It requires collective efforts from social media companies and regulatory authorities to time to time address the new emerging cybercrimes and develop robust preventive measures to counter them.

● Despite the regulatory mechanism in place, there are certain challenges such as jurisdictional challenges, challenges in detection due to anonymity, and investigations challenges which significantly make the issue of cyber human trafficking a serious evolving threat. Hence International collaboration between the countries is encouraged to address the issue considering the present situation in a technologically driven world. Robust legislation that addresses both national and international cases of human trafficking and contains strict penalties for offenders must be enforced.

● Cybercriminals target innocent people by offering fake high-pay job opportunities, building trust and luring them. It is high time that all netizens should be aware of such tactics deployed by bad actors and recognise the early signs of them. By staying vigilant and cross-verifying the details from authentic sources, netizens can safeguard themselves from such serious threats which even endanger their life by putting them under restrictions once they are being trafficked. It is a notable fact that the Indian government and its agencies are continuously making efforts to rescue the victims of cyber human trafficking or cyber slavery, they must further develop robust mechanisms in place to conduct specialised operations by specialised government agencies to rescue the victims in a timely manner.

● Capacity building and support mechanisms must be encouraged by government entities, cyber security experts and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to empower the netizens to follow best practices while navigating the online landscape, providing them with helpline or help centres to report any suspicious activity or behaviour they encounter, and making them empowered to feel safe on the Internet while simultaneously building defenses to stay protected from cyber threats.

References:

1. https://www.news18.com/india/shock-treatment-physical-abuse-indians-getting-trafficked-for-cyber-slavery-to-dupe-other-indians-8954038.html

2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68705913

3. https://therecord.media/india-rescued-cambodia-scam-centers-citizens

4. https://www.the420.in/rescue-indian-tech-workers-cambodia-cyber-fraud-awareness/

5. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/360-indian-citizens-working-as-cyber-slaves-in-cambodia-return-home-101716431762282.html

6. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/14-indians-rescued-from-cyber-slavery-in-cambodia-wait-to-return-home-6147228

7. https://www.dyami.services/post/intel-brief-250-indian-citizens-rescued-from-cyber-slavery

8. https://www.mea.gov.in/human-trafficking.htm

9. https://www.drishtiias.com/blog/the-vicious-cycle-of-human-trafficking-and-cybercrime

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Introduction

Robotic or Robo dogs are created to resemble dogs in conduct and appearance, usually comprising canine features including barking and wagging tails. Some examples include Rhex (hexapod robot), Littledog and BigDog (created by Boston Dynamics robot). Robodogs, on the whole, can even respond to commands and look at a person with large LED-lit puppy eyes. 

A four-legged robotic solution was recently concluded through its foremost successful radiation protection test inside the most extensive experimental area at the European Organization for Nuclear Research known as CERN. Each robot created at CERN is carefully crafted to fulfil exceptional challenges and complement each other. Unlike the previous wheeled, tracked or monorail robots, the robodogs will be capable of penetrating unexplored dimensions of the caverns, expanding the spectrum of surroundings that CERN robots can act as a guide. Also, Incorporating the robodog with the existing monorail robots in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) tunnel will expand the range of places available for monitoring and supervision, improving the security and efficiency of the operation of CERN. Lenovo too has designed a six-legged robot called the "Daystar Bot GS" to be launched this year, which promises "comprehensive data collection." 

Use of Robodogs in diverse domains

Due to the enhancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), robodogs can be a boon for those with exceptional requirements.  The advantage of AI is the dependability of its features, which can be programmed to answer certain commands detailed to the user. 

In the context of health and well-being, they can be useful if they are programmed to take care of a person with distinct or special requirements (elderly person or visually impaired person). For this reason, they are considered more advantageous than the real dogs. Recently, New Stanford has designed robodogs that can perform several physical activities, including dancing and may also one day assist in putting pediatric patients in comfort during their hospital stays.  Similarly, the robodog, "Pupper", is a revamped version of another robotic dog designed at Stanford called "Doggo", an open-source bot with 3D printed elements that one could create on a fairly small budget. They were also created to interact with humans. Furthermore, Robots as friends are a more comfortable hop for the Japanese. The oldest and most successful social robot in Japan is called "Paro", resembling an ordinary plush toy that can help in treating depression, stress, anxiety and also mood swings in a person. Following 1998, several Paro robots were exported overseas and put into service globally, reducing stress among children in ICUs, treating American veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and assisting dementia patients. 

Post-pandemic, the Japanese experiencing loneliness and isolation have been clinging to social robots for mind healing and comfort.  Likewise, at a cafe in Japan, proud owners of the AI-driven robot dog "Aibo" have pawed its course into the minds and hearts of the people. Presently, robots are replacing the conventional class guinea pig or bunny at Moriyama Kindergarten in the central Japanese city of Nagoya. According to the teachers here, the bots apparently reduce stress and teach kids to be more humane. 

In the security and defence domain, the unique skills of robodogs allow them to be used in hazardous and challenging circumstances. They can even navigate through rugged topography with reassurance to save stranded individuals from natural catastrophes. They could correspondingly help with search and rescue procedures, surveillance, and other circumstances that could be dangerous for humans. Researchers or experts are still fine-tuning the algorithm to develop them by devising the technology and employing affordable off-shelf robots that are already functional. Robodogs are further used for providing surveillance in hostage crises, defusing bombs, besides killing people to stop them from attacking other individuals. Similarly, a breakthrough in AI is being tested by the Australian military that reportedly allows soldiers to control robodogs solely with their minds. Cities like Florida and St. Petersburg also seem bound to keep police robodogs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is further seeking plans to deploy robot dogs at the borderlands. Also, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) intends to once again deploy four-legged 'Robodogs' to deal with high-risk circumstances like hostage negotiations. The NYPD has previously employed alike robodogs for high-octane duties in examining unsafe environments where human officers should not be exposed. The U.S. Marine Corps is additionally experimenting with a new breed of robotic canine that can be helpful in the battleground, enhance the safety and mobility of soldiers, and aid in other tasks. The Unitree Go1 robot dog (Nicknamed GOAT-Grounded Open-Air Transport) by the Marines is a four-legged machine that has a built-in AI system, which can be equipped to carry an infantry anti-armour rocket launcher on its back. The GOAT robot dog is designed to help the Marines move hefty loads, analyse topography, and deliver fire support in distant and dangerous places.

However, on the contrary, robodogs may pose ethical and moral predicaments regarding who is accountable for their actions and how to ensure their adherence to the laws of warfare. This may further increase security and privacy situations on how to safeguard the data of the robotic dogs and contain hacking or sabotage.

Conclusion

Teaching robots to traverse the world conventionally has been an extravagant challenge. Though the world has been seeing an increase in their manufacturing, it is simply a machine and can never replace the feeling of owning a real dog.  Designers state that intelligent social robots will never replace humans, though robots provide the assurance of social harmony without social contact. Also, they may not be capable of managing complicated or unforeseen circumstances that need instinct or human decision-making. Nevertheless, owning robodogs in the coming decades is expected to become even more common and cost-effective as they evolve or advance with new algorithms being tested and implemented. 

References:

• https://home.cern/news/news/engineering/introducing-cerns-robodog
• https://news.stanford.edu/2023/10/04/ai-approach-yields-athletically-intelligent-robotic-dog/
• https://nypost.com/2023/02/17/combat-ai-robodogs-follow-telepathic-commands-from-soldiers/
• https://www.popsci.com/technology/parkour-algorithm-robodog/
• https://ggba.swiss/en/cern-unveils-its-innovative-robodog-for-radiation-detection/
• https://www.themarshallproject.org/2022/12/10/san-francisco-killer-robots-policing-debate
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/robo-dogs-therapy-bots-artificial-intelligence/
• https://news.stanford.edu/report/2023/08/01/robo-dogs-unleash-fun-joy-stanford-hospital/
• https://www.pcmag.com/news/lenovo-creates-six-legged-daystar-gs-robot
• https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-breed-military-ai-robo-dogs-could-marines-secret-weapon
• https://www.wptv.com/news/national/new-york-police-will-use-four-legged-robodogs-again
• https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/us-news/creepy-robodogs-controlled-soldiers-minds-29638615
• https://www.newarab.com/news/robodogs-part-israels-army-robots-gaza-war
• https://us.aibo.com/

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Introduction

The Sexual Harassment of minors in cyberspace has become a matter of grave concern that needs to be addressed. Sextortion is the practice of extorting individuals into sharing explicit and sexual content under the threat of exposure. This grim activity has evolved into a pervasive issue on several social media platforms, particularly Instagram. To combat this illicit act, big corporate giants such as Meta have deployed a comprehensive ‘nudity protection’ feature, leveraging the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms to ascertain and address the rapid distribution of unsolicited explicit content.

The Meta Initiative presented a multifaceted approach to improve user safety, especially for young people online, who are more vulnerable to predatory behavior. 

The Salient Feature 

Instagram’s use of advanced AI algorithms to automatically identify and blur out explicit images shared within direct messages is the driving force behind this initiative. This new safety measure serves two essential purposes. 

• Preventing dissemination of sensitive content - The feature, when enabled, obstructs the visibility of sensitive personal pictures and also limits dissemination of the same. 
• Empower minors to exercise more control over their social media - This cutting feature comes with the ability to disable the nudity protection at the will of users, allowing users, including minors, to regulate their exposure to age-inappropriate and harmful materials online. The nudity protection feature is enabled for all users under 18 as a default setting on Instagram globally. This measure guarantees a baseline standard of security for the most vulnerable demographic of users. Adults are able to exercise more autonomy over the feature, receiving periodic prompts for its voluntary activationWhen this feature detects an explicit image, it automatically blurs the image with cautionary overlay, enabling recipients to make an informed decision about whether or not they wish to view the flagged content. The decision to introduce this feature is an interesting and sensitive approach to balancing individual agency with institutionalising online protection. 

Comprehensive Safety Measures Beyond Nudity Detection

The cutting-edge nudity protection feature is a crucial element of Instagram’s new strategy and is supported by a comprehensive set of measures devised to tackle sextortion and ensure a safe cyber environment for its users:

Awareness Drives and Safety Tips - Users sending and receiving sexually explicit content are directed to a screen with curated safety tips to ensure complete user awareness and inspire due diligence. These safety tips are critical in raising awareness about the risks of sharing sensitive content and inculcating responsible online behaviour. 

New Technology to Identify Sextortionists - Meta Platforms are constantly evolving, and new sophisticated algorithms are introduced to better detect malicious accounts engaged in possible sextortion. These proactive measures check for any predatory behaviour so that such threats can be neutralised before they escalate and do grave harm.  

Superior Reporting and Support Mechanisms - Instagram is implementing new technology to bolster its reporting mechanisms so that users reporting concerns pertaining to nudity, sexual exploitation and threats are instantaneously directed to local child safety authorities for necessary support and assistance. 

This new sophisticated approach highlights Instagram's Commitment to forging a safer haven for users by addressing various aspects of this grim issue through the three-pronged strategy of detection, prevention and support. 

User’s Safety and Accountability 

The implementation of the nudity protection feature and various associated safety measures is Meta’s way of tackling the growing concern about user safety in a more proactive manner, especially when it concerns minors.  Instagram’s experience with this feature will likely be the sandbox in which Meta tests its new user protection strategy and refines it before extending it to other platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. 

Critical Reception and Future Outlook

The nudity protection feature has been met with positive feedback from experts and online safety advocates, commending Instagram for taking a proactive stance against sextortion and exploitation. However, critics also emphasise the need for continued innovation, transparency, and accountability to effectively address evolving threats and ensure comprehensive protection for all users.

Conclusion 

As digital spaces continue to evolve, Meta Platforms must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to adapting its safety measures and collaborating with relevant stakeholders to stay ahead of emerging challenges. Ongoing investment in advanced technology, user education, and robust support systems will be crucial in maintaining a secure and responsible online environment. Ultimately, Instagram's nudity protection feature represents a significant step forward in the fight against online sexual exploitation and abuse. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, fostering user awareness, and implementing comprehensive safety protocols, Meta Platforms is setting a positive example for other social media platforms to prioritise user safety and combat predatory behaviour in digital spaces.

References

• https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/instagram-testing-blurring-nudity-messages-protect-teens-sextortion-rcna147402
• https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/11/meta-will-auto-blur-nudity-in-instagram-dms-in-latest-teen-safety-step/
• https://hypebeast.com/2024/4/instagram-dm-nudity-blurring-feature-teen-safety-info

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