#FactCheck-Fake post falsely attributes EVM-related remark to US Secretary Marco Rubio
Executive Summary
A social media post card featuring a photo of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, carrying the logo of Navbharat Times, is being widely circulated online. The post claims that Rubio made a remark criticizing the Indian government, allegedly stating that “those in power through EVMs should tell us what to do and what not to do.” CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be false. There is no evidence of Marco Rubio making any such statement, and the viral post card is fabricated.
Claim:
A post shared by SP leader IP Singh alleged that the US Secretary made comments questioning the legitimacy of the Indian government and EVM-based elections, further linking it to broader political criticism of EVMs.
Post link: https://x.com/IPSinghSp/status/2066740933396492706?s=20, https://archive.ph/submit/?url
Fact Check:
A keyword search of the alleged statement revealed no credible reports or official records of Marco Rubio making any such remark. Additionally, a review of Navbharat Times’ official social media handles did not show any such post card being published, indicating that the viral graphic is not authentic. Further examination of recent statements by Marco Rubio showed no reference to EVMs or the Indian electoral system. Instead, a Navbharat Times report dated June 14 covered a different issue related to tensions in the Hormuz Strait, where Rubio commented on the killing of Indian sailors during a maritime incident and emphasized compliance with US directives for commercial vessels. https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/world/america/marco-rubio-remarks-on-killing-of-indian-sailors-in-hormuz-strait-insult-of-india-says
Conclusion:
The research confirms that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not make any statement regarding EVMs or the Indian government. The viral post card is fake and misleading.
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Executive Summary
As West Bengal heads for vote counting on May 4, 2026, following the second phase of Assembly polling held on April 29, a video is being widely shared on social media. The clip shows security personnel baton-charging civilians, with users claiming it depicts force being used during the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026. Research by CyberPeace Research Wing found that the viral claim is misleading. The video is actually from Bangladesh and is being falsely linked to the West Bengal elections to spread confusion.
Claim
A Facebook user named “Adv Mohd Salman” shared the clip on April 29, 2026, using Bengal-related hashtags and claiming that voters standing in line were beaten to influence the election outcome. The post alleged that free and fair voting rights were being suppressed.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we closely examined the viral video. A vehicle visible in the footage had a registration number written in a non-Hindi script. Using Google Lens reverse image search, we found a matching image uploaded on Alamy on December 30, 2018. The image showed a military vehicle with the same script and registration style seen in the viral clip.
According to the description on the platform, the image was taken in Dhaka during Bangladesh’s national elections and showed Bangladeshi army personnel moving through a street near a polling station. This confirms that the viral footage is not related to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Conclusion
Our research confirms that the video showing security personnel baton-charging civilians is from Bangladesh, not West Bengal. It is being falsely shared as footage from the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections to mislead users.
Introduction
To combat the problem of annoying calls and SMS, telecom regulator TRAI has urged service providers to create a uniform digital platform in two months that will allow them to request, maintain, and withdraw customers’ approval for promotional calls and messages. In the initial stage, only subscribers will be able to initiate the process of registering their consent to receive promotional calls and SMS, and later, business entities will be able to contact customers to seek their consent to receive promotional messages, according to a statement issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Saturday.
TRAI Directs Telecom Providers to Set Up Digital Platform
TRAI has now directed all access providers to develop and deploy the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) facility for creating a unified platform and process to digitally register customers’ consent across all service providers and principal entities. Consent is received and maintained under the current system by several key entities such as banks, other financial institutions, insurance firms, trading companies, business entities, real estate businesses, and so on.
The purpose, scope of consent, and the principal entity or brand name shall be clearly mentioned in the consent-seeking message sent over the short code,” according to the statement.
It stated that only approved online or app links, call-back numbers, and so on will be permitted to be used in consent-seeking communications.
TRAI issued guidelines to guarantee that all voice-based Telemarketers are brought under a single Distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform for more efficient monitoring of nuisance calls and unwanted communications. It also instructs operators to actively deploy AI/ML-based anti-phishing systems as well as to integrate tech solutions on the DLT platform to deal with malicious calls and texts.
TRAI has issued two separate Directions to Access Service Providers under TCCCPR-2018 (Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations) to ensure that all promotional messages are sent through Registered Telemarketers (RTMs) using approved Headers and Message Templates on Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) platform, and to stop misuse of Headers and Message Templates,” the regulator said in a statement.
Users can already block telemarketing calls and texts by texting 1909 from their registered mobile number. By dialing 1909, customers can opt out of getting advertising calls by activating the do not disturb (DND) feature.
Telecom providers operate DLT platforms, and businesses involved in sending bulk promotional or transactional SMS must register by providing their company information, including sender IDs and SMS templates.
According to the instructions, telecom companies will send consent-seeking messages using the common short code 127. The goal, extent of consent, and primary entity/brand name must be clearly stated in the consent-seeking message delivered via the shortcode.
TRAI stated that only whitelisted URLs/APKs (Android package kits file format)/OTT links/call back numbers, etc., shall be used in consent-seeking messages.
Telcos must “ensure that promotional messages are not transmitted by unregistered telemarketers or telemarketers using telephone numbers (10 digits numbers).” Telecom providers have been urged to act against all erring telemarketers in accordance with the applicable regulations and legal requirements.
Users can, however, refuse to receive any consent-seeking messages launched by any significant Telcos have been urged to create an SMS/IVR (interactive voice response)/online service for this purpose.
According to TRAI’s timeline, the consent-taking process by primary companies will begin on September 1.According to a nationwide survey conducted by a local circle, 66% of mobile users continue to receive three or more bothersome calls per day, the majority of which originate from personal cell numbers.
There are scams surfacing on the internet with new types of scams, like WhatsApp international call scams. The latest scam is targeting Delhi police, the scammers pretend to be police officials of Delhi and ask for the personal details of the users and the calling them from a 9-digit number.
A recent scam
A Twitter user reported receiving an automated call from +91 96681 9555, stating, “This call is from Delhi Police.” It went on to ask her to stay in the queue since some of her documents needed to be picked up. Then he said he is a sub-inspector at New Delhi’s Kirti Nagar police station. He then questioned if she had lately misplaced her Aadhaar card, PAN card, or ATM card, to which she replied ‘no’. The fraudster then claims to be a cop and asks her to validate the final four digits of her card because they have discovered a card with her name on it. And so many other people tweeted about this.
The scams are constantly increasing as earlier these scammers asked for account details and claimed to be Delhi police and used 9-digit numbers for scamming people.
TRAI’s new guidelines regarding the consent to receive any promotional calls and messages to telecommunication providers will be able to curb the scams.
The e- KYC is an essential requirement as e-KYC offers a more secure identity verification process in an increasingly digital age that uses biometric technologies to provide quick results.
Conclusion
The aim is to prevent unwanted calls and communications sent to customers via digital methods without their permission. Once this platform is implemented, an organization can only send promotional calls or messages with the customer’s explicit approval. Companies use a variety of methods to notify clients about their products, including phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media. Customers, however, are constantly assaulted with the same calls and messages as a result of this practice. With the constant increase in scams, the new guideline of TRAI will also curb the calling of Scams. digital KYC prevents SIM fraud and offers a more secure identity verification method.
Executive Summary
A viral image circulating on social media claims that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay touched the feet of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his swearing-in ceremony, while Congress and several other parties extended support to his government. The image is being widely shared with captions suggesting it captures a real political moment. However, CyberPeace Research Wing research has found the claim to be false. The image is AI-generated and does not depict any real event.
Claim
A Facebook user shared the viral image on May 10, 2026, claiming that TVK chief and actor Vijay had taken oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The post further claimed that during the ceremony, Vijay touched Rahul Gandhi’s feet to seek blessings, and the gesture was applauded by leaders present on stage. The post, along with archived links and screenshots, is being circulated as authentic evidence of the alleged incident.
- https://www.facebook.com/100057774695228/posts/1389222123013598/?rdid=FEzRYpVvSIieeUbj#
- https://archive.ph/kv4e1
Fact Check
A keyword-based search on Google did not return any credible news reports supporting the claim or confirming such an event. A closer visual examination of the image raised strong suspicions of AI manipulation, prompting verification through AI detection tools. When the image was analyzed using the SIGHTENGINE detection tool, the results indicated that the image is 99% likely to be AI-generated.
Further verification using another AI detection platform, HIVE MODERATION, also flagged the image as synthetic, showing an 81% probability of being AI-generated.
Conclusion
The research clearly shows that the viral image is not real. It has been generated using artificial intelligence and is being falsely shared as a real political event.
