#FactCheck : Old Video of Birds Misleadingly Linked to Iran’s Attack on Israel Goes Viral
Executive Summary
Amid the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran, a video is rapidly going viral on social media with Hindi and Urdu captions. The clip shows several vehicles on a road while a large number of black birds can be seen circling in the sky. Users are sharing the video with the claim that it shows thousands of crows hovering over Tel Aviv after an Iranian attack. Some have even described it as a sign of a major impending event.
However, an research by the CyberPeace found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is old and has no connection to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, a keyframe from the video was reverse searched on Yandex. This led to the same video being shared on Reddit on June 13, 2024, where it was described as footage from the US state of Texas. Further searches using the keywords “Crows in Texas” revealed that the same video had been shared on Facebook in April and June 2024. These posts also claimed that the visuals were captured near a supermarket in Texas, where a large number of crows were seening.
While the exact location of the video cannot be independently confirmed, the available evidence clearly establishes that the footage predates the current conflict and is unrelated to any recent events involving Iran or Israel.
Conclusion
The viral video showing a flock of birds in the sky is not linked to any Iranian attack on Israel. It has been available online since 2024 and is being falsely shared in the context of the ongoing conflict.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary
A video circulating on social media has sparked controversy, showing a man allegedly vandalising an idol of Lord Ram. Users sharing the clip claim that the incident recently took place in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The posts further allege that a Muslim individual climbed the idol and attempted to damage it. However, research by the CyberPeace found the viral claim to be misleading. The research revealed that the video is not recent but nearly three years old. At the time of the incident, the police had already arrested the accused. Social media users are now resharing the old video with false claims that it is a recent event.
Claim:
On February 14, 2026, a Facebook user shared the viral video claiming that the incident occurred in Ayodhya, where a large religious gathering was underway. The post alleged that a man identified as Mohammad Mukhtar Mandal climbed the idol of Lord Ram and attempted to break it. The post was widely circulated with inflammatory remarks. (Link and archived version of the post were provided along with a screenshot.)
Fact Check
To verify the authenticity of the claim, we extracted key frames from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found a report published on January 30, 2024, on the Hindi website of Patrika, which carried visuals matching the viral footage. According to the report, a video had surfaced showing a man climbing an idol of Lord Ram in Ayodhya and attempting to damage it. The video had gone viral at the time, following which police registered a case against the accused, Mukhtar Ali Mandal, and arrested him.
Further research led us to another Facebook post featuring the same video. In the comment section of that post, Uttar Pradesh Police clarified that the incident dated back to January 2024. The Ayodhya police had registered a case against the accused shown in the video and sent him to jail.
Conclusion:
The research confirms that the viral video is not recent but an old incident from January 2024. The accused was arrested at the time. The video is being reshared with misleading claims falsely presenting it as a recent event.
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Introduction to Grooming
The term grooming is believed to have been first used by a group of investigators in the 1970s to describe patterns of seduction of an offender towards a child. It eventually evolved and began being commonly used by law enforcement agencies and has now replaced the term seduction for this behavioural pattern. At its core, grooming refers to conditioning a child by an adult offender to further their wrong motives. In its most popular sense, it refers to the sexual victimisation of children whereby an adult befriends a minor and builds an emotional connection to sexually abuse, exploit and even trafficking such a victim. The onset of technology has shifted the offline physical proximity of perpetrators to the internet, enabling groomers to integrate themselves completely into the victim’s life by maintaining consistent contact. It is noted that while grooming can occur online and offline, groomers often establish online contact before moving the ‘relationship’ offline to commit sexual offences.
Underreporting and Vulnerability of Teenagers
Given the elusive nature of the crime, cyber grooming remains one of the most underreported crimes by victims, who are often unaware or embarrassed to share their experiences. Teenagers are particularly more susceptible to cyber grooming since they not only have more access to the internet but also engage in more online risk-taking behaviours such as posting sensitive and personal pictures. Studies indicate that individuals aged 18 to 23 often lack awareness regarding the grooming process. They frequently engage in relationships with groomers without recognising the deceptive and manipulative tactics employed, mistakenly perceiving these relationships as consensual rather than abusive.
Rise of Cyber Grooming incidents after COVID-19 pandemic
There has been an uptick in cyber grooming after the COVID-19 pandemic, whereby an adult poses as a teenager or a child and befriends a minor on child-friendly websites or social media outlets and builds an emotional connection with the victim. The main goal is to obtain intimate and personal data of the minor, often in the form of sexual chats, pictures or videos, to threaten and coerce them into continuing such acts. The grooming process usually begins with seemingly harmless inquiries about the minor's age, interests, and family background. Over time, these questions gradually shift to topics concerning sexual experiences and desires. Research and data indicate that online grooming is primarily carried out by males, who frequently choose their victims based on attractiveness, ease of access, and the ability to exploit the minor's vulnerabilities.
Beyond Sexual Exploitation: Ideological and Commercial Grooming
Grooming is not confined to sexual exploitation. The rise of technology has expanded the influence of extremist ideological groups, granting them access to children who can be coerced into adopting their beliefs. This phenomenon, known as ideological grooming, presents significant personal, social, national security, and law enforcement challenges. Additionally, a new trend, termed digital commercial grooming, involves malicious actors manipulating minors into procuring and using drugs. Violent extremists are improving their online recruitment strategies, learning from each other to target and recruit supporters more effectively and are constantly leveraging children’s vulnerabilities to reinforce anti-government ideologies.
Policy Recommendations to Combat Cyber Grooming
To address the pervasive issue of cyber grooming and child recruitment by extremist groups, several policy recommendations can be implemented. Social media and online platforms should enhance their monitoring and reporting systems to swiftly detect and remove grooming behaviours. This includes investing in AI technologies for content moderation and employing dedicated teams to respond to reports promptly. Additionally, collaborative efforts with cybersecurity experts and child psychologists to develop educational campaigns and tools that teach children about online safety and identify grooming tactics should be mandated. Legislation should also be strengthened to include provisions specifically addressing cyber grooming, ensuring strict penalties for offenders and protections for victims. In this regard, international cooperation among law enforcement agencies and tech companies is essential to create a unified approach to tackling cross-border online threats to children's safety and security.
References:
- Lanning, Kenneth “The Evolution of Grooming: Concept and Term”, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2018, Vol. 33 (1) 5-16. https://www.nationalcac.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-evolution-of-grooming-Concept-and-term.pdf
- Jonie Chiu, Ethel Quayle, “Understanding online grooming: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of adolescents' offline meetings with adult perpetrators”, Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 128, 2022, 105600, ISSN 0145-2134,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105600. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014521342200120X
- “Online child sexual exploitation and abuse”, Sharinnf Electronic Resources on Laws and Crime, United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime. https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/en/education/tertiary/cybercrime/module-12/key-issues/online-child-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse.html
- Mehrotra, Karishma, “In the pandemic, more Indian children are falling victim to online grooming for sexual exploitation” The Scroll.in, 18 September 2021. https://scroll.in/magazine/1005389/in-the-pandemic-more-indian-children-are-falling-victim-to-online-grooming-for-sexual-exploitation
- Lorenzo-Dus, Nuria, “Digital Grooming: Discourses of Manipulation and Cyber-Crime”, 18 December 2022 https://academic.oup.com/book/45362
- Strategic orientations on a coordinated EU approach to prevention of radicalisation in 2022-2023 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-03/2022-2023%20Strategic%20orientations%20on%20a%20coordinated%20EU%20approach%20to%20prevention%20of%20radicalisation_en.pdf
- “Handbook on Children Recruited and Exploited by Terrorist and Violent Extremist Groups: The Role of the Justice System”, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2017. https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/Child-Victims/Handbook_on_Children_Recruited_and_Exploited_by_Terrorist_and_Violent_Extremist_Groups_the_Role_of_the_Justice_System.E.pdf
Introduction
Cyberspace is the new and the fifth dimension of warfare as recognised by the UN. In recent times we have seen a significant rise in cyber attacks on nations’ strategic interests and critical infrastructure. The scope of cyberwarfare is increasing rapidly in contemporary times. Nations across the globe are struggling with this issue. The Ministry of Defence of the Government of India has been fundamental to take preventive measures towards all attacks on the Republic of India. The ministry is the junction for all three forces: Airforce, Navy and Army and creates coordination between the forces and deploys the force at strategic locations in terms of enemy threats.
The new OS
Governments across the world have developed various cyber security measures and mechanisms to keep data and information safe and secure. Similarly, the Indian Government has been very critical in deploying cybersecurity strategies, policies, measures, and bills to safeguard the Indian cyber-ecosystem. The Ministry of Defence has recently made a transition in terms of the Operating System used in the daily functions of the ministry. Earlier, the ministry was using an OS from Microsoft, which has now been replaced with the indigenous OS named “Maya” based on open-source Ubuntu. This is the first time the ministry will be deploying indigenous operating software. This step comes at a time of global rise in cyber attacks, and the aspect of indigenous OS will prevent malware and spyware attacks.
What is Maya?
Users will not notice many differences while switching to Maya because it has a similar interface and functionality to Windows. The first instruction is to install Maya on all South Block PCs with Internet access before August 15. In these systems, a Chakravyuh “endpoint detection and protection system” is also being installed. Maya isn’t yet installed on any computers connected to the networks of the three Services; instead, it is solely used in Defence Ministry systems. It had also been reviewed by the three Services and would shortly be adopted on service networks. The Army and Air Force were currently reviewing it after the Navy had already given its approval.
OS Maya was created by government development organisations in less than six months. An official from the ministry has informed that Maya would stop malware attacks and other cyberattacks, which have sharply increased. The nation has recently experienced a number of malware and extortion attacks, some of which targeted vital infrastructure. The Defence Ministry has made repeated attempts in the past to switch from Windows to an Indian operating system.
How will the new OS help?
The OS Maya is a critically developed OS and is expected to cater to the needs of all cybersecurity and safety issues of contemporary threats and vulnerabilities.
The following aspects need to be kept in mind in regard to safety and security issues:
- Better and improved security and safety
- Reduced chances of cyberattacks
- Promotion of Inidegenous talent and innovation
- Global standard OS
- Preventing and precautionary measures
- Safety by Design for overall resilience
- Improved Inter forces coordination
- Upskilling and capacity building for Serving personnel
Conclusion
Finally, the emergence of cyberspace as the fifth dimension of warfare has compelled countries all over the world to adopt a proactive stance, and India’s Ministry of Defence has made a significant move in this area. The significance of strengthened cybersecurity measures has been highlighted by the rising frequency and level of complexity of cyberattacks against key assets and vital infrastructure. The Ministry’s choice to use the local Maya operating system is a key step in protecting the country’s cyber-ecosystem. Maya’s debut represents a fundamental shift in the cybersecurity approach as well as a technology transition. This change not only improves the security and protection of confidential data but also demonstrates India’s dedication to supporting innovation and developing homegrown talent. Government development organisations have shown their commitment to solving the changing difficulties of the digital age by producing cutting-edge operating systems like Maya in a relatively short amount of time.
