#FactCheck: Old Video of BJP MLA Bhupesh Chaubey Performing Sit-Ups During 2022 Party Workers’ Meeting Falsely Shared as Recent

Executive Summary
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A video is being shared on social media with the claim that a thief in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, performed dangerous stunts to evade the police. In the viral video, several police personnel can be seen chasing a man. The man appears to dodge vehicles on the road to escape the police and then climbs onto the roof of a moving bus. He later jumps from the bus and climbs onto a roadside hoarding. The video is being shared with the claim that a clever thief gave the police a tough time in Indore. Research by CyberPeace Research Wing found that the video is AI-generated and is being shared with a misleading claim.

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Claim:

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A high-voltage, filmy-style chase between police and a clever thief took place in a busy market in Indore. The police later surrounded the accused and detained him. Archive of the post can be seen here. Similar posts can be seen here and here.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1356598853312128 

https://archive.ph/UvTOl 

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Fact Check:

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To verify the claim, we conducted a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video using Google Lens. During the search, we found the same video posted on August 8 on the X account of a user named Rahul Nanda. The post stated that the video had been created using AI.

https://x.com/rahulnanda86/status/2086001127762657614 

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We then analysed the viral video using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation. The tool gave the video a 99.8 per cent score for being potentially AI-generated.

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As part of the research, we also checked the video using another AI detection tool, Deepfake-O-Meter. Six different detectors on the tool indicated a high probability that the video was AI-generated.

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Conclusion

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The evidence gathered during our research establishes that the viral video claiming to show a thief evading police in Indore is AI-generated. Therefore, the claim is misleading.

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Introduction

The first activity one engages in while using social media is scrolling through their feed and liking or reacting to posts. Social media users' online activity is passive, involving merely reading and observing, while active use occurs when a user consciously decides to share information or comment after actively analysing it. We often "like" photos, posts, and tweets reflexively, hardly stopping to think about why we do it and what information it contains. This act of "liking" or "reacting" is a passive activity that can spark an active discourse. Frequently, we encounter misinformation on social media in various forms, which could be identified as false at first glance if we exercise caution and avoid validating it with our likes.

Passive engagement, such as liking or reacting to a post, triggers social media algorithms to amplify its reach, exposing it to a broader audience. This amplification increases the likelihood of misinformation spreading quickly as more people interact with it. As the content circulates, it gains credibility through repeated exposure, reinforcing false narratives and expanding its impact.

Social media platforms are designed to facilitate communication and conversations for various purposes. However, this design also enables the sharing, exchange, distribution, and reception of content, including misinformation. This can lead to the widespread spread of false information, influencing public opinion and behaviour. Misinformation has been identified as a contributing factor in various contentious events, ranging from elections and referenda to political or religious persecution, as well as the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mechanics of Passive Sharing

Sharing a post without checking the facts mentioned or sharing it without providing any context can create situations where misinformation can be knowingly or unknowingly spread. The problem with sharing and forwarding information on social media without fact-checking is that it usually starts in small, trusted networks before going on to be widely seen across the internet. This web which begins is infinite and cutting it from the roots is necessary. The rapid spread of information on social media is driven by algorithms that prioritise engagement and often they amplify misleading or false content and contribute to the spread of misinformation.  The algorithm optimises the feed and ensures that the posts that are most likely to engage with appear at the top of the timeline, thus encouraging a cycle of liking and posting that keeps users active and scrolling.

The internet reaches billions of individuals and enables them to tailor persuasive messages to the specific profiles of individual users. The internet because of its reach is an ideal medium for the fast spread of falsehoods at the expense of accurate information. 

Recommendations for Combating Passive Sharing

The need to combat passive sharing that we indulge in is important and some ways in which we can do so are as follows:

• We need to critically evaluate the sources before sharing any content. This will ensure that the information source is not corrupted and used as a means to cause disruptions. The medium should not be used to spread misinformation due to the source's ulterior motives. Tools such as crowdsourcing and AI methods have been used in the past to evaluate the sources and have been successful to an extent.
• Engaging with fact-checking tools and verifying the information is also crucial. The information that has been shared on the post needs to be verified through authenticated sources before indulging in the practice of sharing. 
• Being mindful of the potential impact of online activity, including likes and shares is important. The kind of reach that social media users have today is due to several reasons ranging from the content they create, the rate at which they engage with other users etc.  Liking and sharing content might not seem much for an individual user but the impact it has collectively is huge.

Conclusion 

Passive sharing of misinformation, like liking or sharing without verification, amplifies false information, erodes trust in legitimate sources, and deepens social and political divides. It can lead to real-world harm and ethical dilemmas. To combat this, critical evaluation, fact-checking, and mindful online engagement are essential to mitigating this passive spread of misinformation. The small act of “like” or “share” has a much more far-reaching effect than we anticipate and we should be mindful of all our activities on the digital platform. 

References

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00049530.2022.2113340#summary-abstract 
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/badlapur-protest-police-warn-against-spreading-fake-news/articleshow/112750638.cms

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The United Nations in December 2019 passed a resolution that established an open-ended ad hoc committee. This committee was tasked to develop a ‘comprehensive international convention on countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes’. The UN Convention on Cybercrime is an initiative of the UN member states to foster the principles of international cooperation and establish legal frameworks to provide mechanisms for combating cybercrime. The negotiations for the convention had started in early 2022. It became the first binding international criminal justice treaty to have been negotiated in over 20 years upon its adoption by the UN General Assembly.  

This convention addresses the limitations of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime by encircling a broader range of issues and perspectives from the member states. The UN Convention against Cybercrime will open for signature at a formal ceremony hosted in Hanoi, Viet Nam, in 2025. The convention will finally enter into force 90 days after being ratified by the 40th signatory.

Objectives and Features of the Convention

• The UN Convention against Cybercrime addresses various aspects of cybercrime. These include prevention, investigation, prosecution and international cooperation. 
• The convention aims to establish common standards for criminalising cyber offences. These include offences like hacking, identity theft, online fraud, distribution of illegal content, etc. It outlines procedural and technical measures for law enforcement agencies for effective investigation and prosecution while ensuring due process and privacy protection. 
• Emphasising the importance of cross-border collaboration among member states, the convention provides mechanisms for mutual legal assistance, extradition and sharing of information and expertise. The convention aims to enhance the capacity of developing countries to combat cybercrime through technical assistance, training, and resources. 
• It seeks to balance security measures with the protection of fundamental rights. The convention highlights the importance of safeguarding human rights and privacy in cybercrime investigations and enforcement.
• The Convention emphasises the importance of prevention through awareness campaigns, education, and the promotion of a culture of cybersecurity. It encourages collaborations through public-private partnerships to enhance cybersecurity measures and raise awareness, such as protecting vulnerable groups like children, from cyber threats and exploitation.

Key Provisions of the UN Cybercrime Convention

Some key provisions of the Convention are as follows:

• The convention differentiates cyber-dependent crimes like hacking from cyber-enabled crimes like online fraud. It defines digital evidence and establishes standards for its collection, preservation, and admissibility in legal proceedings.
• It defines offences against confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer data and includes unauthorised access, interference with data, and system sabotage. Further, content-related offences include provisions against distributing illegal content, such as CSAM and hate speech. It criminalises offences like identity theft, online fraud and intellectual property violations.
• LEAs are provided with tools for electronic surveillance, data interception, and access to stored data, subject to judicial oversight. It outlines the mechanisms for cross-border investigations, extradition, and mutual legal assistance.
• The establishment of a central body to coordinate international efforts, share intelligence, and provide technical assistance includes the involvement of experts from various fields to advise on emerging threats, legal developments, and best practices.

Comparisons with the Budapest Convention

The Budapest Convention was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe at the 109th Session on 8 November 2001. This Convention was the first international treaty that addressed internet and computer crimes. A comparison between the two Conventions is as follows:

• The global participation in the UNCC is inclusive of all UN member states whereas the latter had primarily European with some non-European signatories. 
• The scope of the UNCC is broader and covers a wide range of cyber threats and cybercrimes, whereas the Budapest convention is focused on specific offences like hacking and fraud. 
• UNCC strongly focuses on privacy and human rights protections and the Budapest Convention had limited focus on human rights.
• UNCC has extensive provisions for assistance to developing countries and this is in contrast to the Budapest Convention which did not focus much on capacity building.

Future Outlook

The development of the UNCC was a complex process. The diverse views on key issues have been noted and balancing different legal systems, cultural perspectives and policy priorities has been a challenge. The rapid technology evolution that is taking place requires the Convention to be adaptable to effectively address emerging cyber threats. Striking a balance remains a critical concern. The Convention aims to provide a blended approach to tackling cybercrime by addressing the needs of countries, both developed and developing.

Conclusion

The resolution containing the UN Convention against Cybercrime is a step in global cooperation to combat cybercrime. It was adopted without a vote by the 193-member General Assembly and is expected to enter into force 90 days after ratification by the 40th signatory. The negotiations and consultations are finalised for the Convention and it is open for adoption and ratification by member states. It seeks to provide a comprehensive legal framework that addresses the challenges posed by cyber threats while respecting human rights and promoting international collaboration. 

References

• https://consultation.dpmc.govt.nz/un-cybercrime-convention/principlesandobjectives/supporting_documents/Background.pdf 
• https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1158521 
• https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2024/INTERPOL-welcomes-adoption-of-UN-convention-against-cybercrime#:~:text=The%20UN%20convention%20establishes%20a,and%20grooming%3B%20and%20money%20laundering 
• https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/united-nations-adopts-landmark-global-treaty-to-combat-cybercrime-19529854.htm