#FactCheck-A manipulated image showing Indian cricketer Virat Kohli allegedly watching Rahul Gandhi's media briefing on his mobile phone has been widely shared online.
Executive Summary:
A fake photo claiming to show the cricketer Virat Kohli watching a press conference by Rahul Gandhi before a match, has been widely shared on social media. The original photo shows Kohli on his phone with no trace of Gandhi. The incident is claimed to have happened on March 21, 2024, before Kohli's team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), played Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Many Social Media accounts spread the false image and made it viral.
Claims:
The viral photo falsely claims Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was watching a press conference by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his phone before an IPL match. Many Social media handlers shared it to suggest Kohli's interest in politics. The photo was shared on various platforms including some online news websites.
Fact Check:
After we came across the viral image posted by social media users, we ran a reverse image search of the viral image. Then we landed on the original image posted by an Instagram account named virat__.forever_ on 21 March.
The caption of the Instagram post reads, “VIRAT KOHLI CHILLING BEFORE THE SHOOT FOR JIO ADVERTISEMENT COMMENCE.❤️”
Evidently, there is no image of Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi on the Phone of Virat Kohli. Moreover, the viral image was published after the original image, which was posted on March 21.
Therefore, it’s apparent that the viral image has been altered, borrowing the original image which was shared on March 21.
Conclusion:
To sum up, the Viral Image is altered from the original image, the original image caption tells Cricketer Virat Kohli chilling Before the Jio Advertisement commences but not watching any politician Interview. This shows that in the age of social media, where false information can spread quickly, critical thinking and fact-checking are more important than ever. It is crucial to check if something is real before sharing it, to avoid spreading false stories.
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Introduction
The government has announced that the new criminal laws will come into force on 1st July 2024. The Union Government notified that three recently enacted criminal laws, viz. Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 will be effective from 1st July 2024. The Indian Penal Code 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, and Indian Evidence Act 1872 have been replaced by these new criminal laws.
On 23 February 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs Announced the Effective Date of new criminal laws as follows:
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 Effective from 1-7-2024, except Section 106(2).
- Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 Effective from 1-7-2024.
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 The provisions will come into force on 1-7-2024 except the provisions of the entry relating to section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in the First Schedule.
Section 106(2) Will Not Be Enforced
Truckers protested against this provision, which provides 10 years imprisonment and fines for those who cause death by rash and negligent driving of a vehicle not amounting to culpable homicide, and escape without reporting it to a police officer. As of now, the government has promised truckers and transporters that subsection 2 of Section 106 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) will not come into force. This subsection deals with fatal hit-and-run cases and prescribes higher penalties for not informing authorities immediately after an accident.
Section 106(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 read as follows;
106. Causing death by negligence.—
(2) Whoever causes death of any person by rash and negligent driving of vehicle not amounting to culpable homicide, and escapes without reporting it to a police officer or a Magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of aterm which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
BHARATIYA SAKSHYA ADHINIYAM, 2023
The Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 will replace the Indian Evidence Act 1872. The Act has undergone significant modification to maintain its fundamental principles for fair legal proceedings and adapt to technological advancements and changes in societal norms. This Act recognises electronic records as primary evidence under Section 57. It also allows the electronic presentation of oral evidence, enabling remote testimony and ensuring that electronic records will have the same legal effect as paper records.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 replaces the 1973 Code of Criminal Procedure, introducing certain modifications. This Act, under section 176, requires forensic investigation for crimes punished with seven years' imprisonment or more. Section 530 of BNSS, 2023 is a newly inserted provision which envisages the use of electronic communication audio-video electronic means for trials, inquiries, proceedings, service and issuance of summons. Electronic mode is permitted for all trials, inquiries, and proceedings under section 173 of this Act. The concept of Zero FIR is also introduced under section 173(1) and mandates police stations to register the FIR, irrespective of jurisdiction.
Conclusion
India's new criminal laws are set to take effect on 1st July 2024. These laws modernise the country's legal framework, replacing outdated statutes and incorporating technological advancements. The concerns from stakeholders led to the withholding of enforcement of Section 106(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023. The new criminal laws aim to address contemporary society's complexities while upholding justice and fairness.
References
- https://www.indiatoday.in/india/video/new-criminal-laws-to-come-into-effect-from-july-1-2506664-2024-02-24
- https://www.lawrbit.com/article/ipc-crpc-evidence-act-replaced-by-new-criminal-laws/
Executive Summary:
A recent claim going around on social media that a child created sand sculptures of cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been proven false by the CyberPeace Research Team. The team discovered that the images were actually produced using an AI tool. Evident from the unusual details like extra fingers and unnatural characteristics in the sculptures, the Research Team discerned the likelihood of artificial creation. This suspicion was further substantiated by AI detection tools. This incident underscores the need to fact-check information before posting, as misinformation can quickly go viral on social media. It is advised everyone to carefully assess content to stop the spread of false information.
Claims:
The claim is that the photographs published on social media show sand sculptures of cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni made by a child.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the posts, we carefully examined the images. The collage of 4 pictures has many anomalies which are the clear sign of AI generated images.
In the first image the left hand of the sand sculpture has 6 fingers and in the word INDIA, ‘A’ is not properly aligned i.e not in the same line as other letters. In the second image, the finger of the boy is missing and the sand sculpture has 4 fingers in its front foot and has 3 legs. In the third image the slipper of the boy is not visible whereas some part of the slipper is visible, and in the fourth image the hand of the boy is not looking like a hand. These are some of the major discrepancies clearly visible in the images.
We then checked using an AI Image detection tool named ‘Hive’ image detection, Hive detected the image as 100.0% AI generated.
We then checked it in another AI image detection named ContentAtScale AI image detection, and it found to be 98% AI generated.
From this we concluded that the Image is AI generated and has no connection with the claim made in the viral social media posts. We have also previously debunked AI Generated artwork of sand sculpture of Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli which had the same types of anomalies as those seen in this case.
Conclusion:
Taking into consideration the distortions spotted in the images and the result of AI detection tools, it can be concluded that the claim of the pictures representing the child's sand sculptures of cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is false. The pictures are created with Artificial Intelligence. It is important to check and authenticate the content before posting it to social media websites.
- Claim: The frame of pictures shared on social media contains child's sand sculptures of cricket player Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
- Claimed on: X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
Introduction
Attempts at countering the spread of misinformation can include various methods and differing degrees of engagement by different stakeholders. The inclusion of Artificial Intelligence, user awareness and steps taken on the part of the public at a larger level, focus on innovation to facilitate clear communication can be considered in the fight to counter misinformation. This becomes even more important in spaces that deal with matters of national security, such as the Indian army.
IIT Indore’s Intelligent Communication System
As per a report in Hindustan Times on 14th November 2024, IIT Indore has achieved a breakthrough on their project regarding Intelligent Communication Systems. The project is supported by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as part of a specialised 6G research initiative (Bharat 6G Alliance) for innovation in 6G technology.
Professors at IIT Indore claim that the system they are working on has features different from the ones currently in use. They state that the receiver system can recognise coding, interleaving (a technique used to enhance existing error-correcting codes), and modulation methods together in situations of difficult environments, which makes it useful for transmitting information efficiently and securely, and thus could not only be used for telecommunication but the army as well. They also mention that previously, different receivers were required for different scenarios, however, they aim to build a system that has a single receiver that can adapt to any situation.
Previously, in another move that addressed the issue of misinformation in the army, the Ministry of Defence designated the Additional Directorate General of Strategic Communication in the Indian Army as the authorised officer to issue take-down notices regarding instances of posts consisting of illegal content and misinformation concerning the Army.
Recommendations
Here are a few policy implications and deliberations one can explore with respect to innovations geared toward tackling misinformation within the army:
- Research and Development: In this context, investment and research in better communication through institutes have enabled a system that ensures encrypted and secure communication, which helps with ways to combat misinformation for the army.
- Strategic Deployment: Relevant innovations can focus on having separate pilot studies testing sensitive data in the military areas to assess their effectiveness.
- Standardisation: Once tested, a set parameter of standards regarding the intelligence communication systems used can be encouraged.
- Cybersecurity integration: As misinformation is largely spread online, innovation in such fields can encourage further exploration with regard to integration with Cybersecurity.
Conclusion
The spread of misinformation during modern warfare can have severe repercussions. Sensitive and clear data is crucial for safe and efficient communication as a lot is at stake. Innovations that are geared toward combating such issues must be encouraged, for they not only ensure efficiency and security with matters related to defence but also combat misinformation as a whole.
References
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/iit-indore-unveils-groundbreaking-intelligent-receivers-for-enhanced-6g-and-military-communication-security/articleshow/115265902.cms
- https://www.hindustantimes.com/technology/6g-technology-and-intelligent-receivers-will-ease-way-for-army-intelligence-operations-iit-official-101731574418660.html
