#FactCheck-Viral Post Falsely Claims White House Dinner Shooter Was Muslim and Killed

Introduction

‍

Raksha Bandhan is a cherished festival which is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan. It is a festival that represents the love, care, and protection that siblings share. This year, Raksha Bandhan falls on 09th August 2025. On this day, sisters tie a sacred thread known as Rakhi on their brothers' wrists as a symbol of love and protection, and in return, brothers promise to safeguard them in all walks of life. The origin of this festival traces back to the Mahabharata, when lord Krishna injured his finger. To bandage the wound, Draupadi, also known as Panchali, tore a piece of her saree and tied it on Krishna's finger. Krishna was touched by her selfless gesture and promised to always protect her, a promise he fulfilled during Drapadi’s time of greatest need. 

Today, in the evolving world driven by technology in all aspects of life, the nature of threats has evolved. In this digital age, physical safety alone is no longer enough. Alongside the traditional vow, there is now a growing need for another promise, the promise of Cyber Raksha (Cyber Safety). As we celebrate the spirit of Raksha Bandhan, this year also take the pledge of offering and taking care of the Cyber Suraksha of your sibling. 

‍

Ek Vaada Cyber Raksha ka 

‍

All the brothers and sisters share the bond of mutual care and responsibility. In the evolving threats of cybercrimes, they must understand the vulnerabilities they might face and the cyber safety tips they should be aware of to protect themselves. You must promise to guide, protect each other from online dangers, and help understand the importance of digital safety.  Hence, this Raksha Bandhan, let’s also tie a knot of cyber awareness, responsibility, and digital protection,  because true raksha in today’s age is not only about protection in the offline world, it is about protection in both the offline and online world. 

CyberPeace has curated the following best practices for you to consider in your life and also to share with your sisters and brothers.

‍

Password Security

‍

‍It is most important to realise that cybercrooks mostly have their eyes on your passwords to target and gain access to your accounts or information. Scammers try multiple ways to get access to your passwords by way of various methods such as OTP frauds, Fake login pages (spoofing), Social engineering, Credential stuffing, Brute-force attacks, phishing, etc. 

‍

Quick Tips 

‍

• Use strong passwords.
• Regularly update passwords.
• Use separate passwords for different accounts.
• Use secure & trusted password managers.
• Use two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security.
• Make sure not to save passwords on random devices.

‍

Social Media Security

‍

‍There are endless cyber scams that take place through social media, such as identity theft, cyberbullying, cyber stalking, online harassment, data leaks, suspicious links leading to phishing and malware, exposure to inappropriate content, etc. It becomes important for netizens to protect their accounts, data, and online presence on social media platforms from the growing cyber threats.

‍

Quick Tips

‍

• Review app permissions and do not give any unnecessary app permissions.
• Keep your account private or customise your privacy settings as per your needs.
• Be cautious while interacting with strangers.
• Do not click on any suspicious or unknown links.
• Make sure to log out in case you have to log in to your social media on an unfamiliar device, and update your password to prevent unauthorised access.
• Always use Two-Factor authentication for your social media accounts.
• Avoid sharing too much of your personal information on the public story or public posts. This can be used by cybercriminals for social engineering.
• Use the report & block function to protect yourself from spam accounts and unwanted interactions.
• If you encounter any issue, report it to the ‘Platform’s reporting mechanism at the ‘Help Centre’.
• One can also reach out to the platform’s grievance officer.

‍

Device Security

‍

In today’s world, the interconnectedness is unavoidable, your devices, be it smartphones, tablets, laptops are not just tools, they are digital extensions of yourself. They contain your discussions, recollections, private information, and frequently your financial and professional information. Safeguarding your devices in the digital world can be equated with safeguarding your physical possessions against undesirable encroachments. Just like a sibling would never let anyone invade your privacy, you too must promise to keep your devices secured against malicious threats like malware, spyware, ransomware, and unauthorized access.

‍

Quick Tips

‍

• Update your apps, browsers, and operating systems frequently; these updates frequently contain security vulnerabilities.
• Install reliable anti-virus and anti-malware software, then perform routine device scans.
• Do not download files or apps from unidentified sources.
• Avoid using open or unprotected public Wi-Fi for private activities like email or banking. 
• Employ screen locks (passwords, biometrics, or PINs) to stop unwanted physical access.
• Enable remote wipe or ‘find my Device’ functions in case your device is lost or stolen.

‍

Digital Payments Security

‍

‍Rakshabandhan is all about giving, but let’s not make it easy for cyber fraudsters to take! Convenience can come at a great cost. It often comes with a danger of fraud, phishing, and money-stealing schemes, as evidenced by the rise in digital payments and UPI transactions. But by being cautious, one can avoid being defrauded.  Whether you’re gifting a sibling online or shopping for festive deals, promise yourself and your loved ones that you’ll transact wisely and safely.

‍

Quick Tips

‍

• Never give out your bank credentials, CVV, OTP, or UPI PIN to anyone, even if they seem trustworthy before extensively verifying their credentials.
• Before completing a transaction, confirm the account information or UPI ID.
• Refund or payment links sent by WhatsApp accounts or unknown numbers should not be clicked. 
• Use only trusted apps (like BHIM, PhonePe, Google Pay, etc.) downloaded from official app stores.

‍

Email Security

‍

Your email serves as a key to your digital kingdom and serves as more than just a tool for communication. Your email frequently connects everything, from banking to social networking. Scammers use phishing assaults, malware attachments, and impersonation frauds to target it first.  Just like a sibling watches your back, watch your inbox. Make a vow not to fall for the digital bait.

‍

Quick tips

‍

• Never open attachments or links in emails that seem strange or suspicious.
• Subject lines that evoke fear, such as “Account Suspended,” “Urgent Action Required” should be avoided. 
• Verify the sender’s email address at all times because scammers frequently use little misspellings to deceive you.
• Set up two-factor authentication and create a secure, one of a kind password for your email accounts.
• Avoid using unprotected Wi-Fi networks or public computers to check your email.
• Avoid responding to spam emails or unsubscribing through dubious links as this could give the attacker your address. 

‍

Common scams to watch out for

‍

Festive deals scams

‍

As the festive season sales surge in India, so does the risk of cyber scams. Cyber crooks exploit the victims and urge them to share OTPs under the guise of preventing fraudulent activity, sharing malicious links to get sensitive information. 

‍

Mis-disinformation 

‍

The spread of mis-disinformation has surged on social media platforms. It spreads like wildfire across the digital landscape, and the need for effective strategies to counteract these challenges has grown exponentially in a very short period. ‘Prebunking’ and ‘Debunking’ are two approaches for countering the growing spread of misinformation online.

‍

Deepfake and Voice cloning scams

‍

By using the Deepfake technology, cybercriminals manipulate audio and video content which looks very realistic but, in actuality, is fake. Voice cloning is also a part of deepfake. To create a voice clone of anyone's, audio can be deepfaked too, which closely resembles a real one but, in actuality, is a fake voice created through deepfake technology. 

‍

Juice Jacking

‍

Cybercriminals can hack your phone using or exploiting some public charging stations, such as at airports, Malls, hotel rooms, etc. When you plug your cell phone into a USB  power charger, you may be plugging into a hacker. Juice jacking poses a security threat commonly at places that provide free charging stations for mobile devices. 

‍

Suspicious links & downloads

‍

Suspicious links & downloads can lead you to a phishing site or install malware into your system, which can even lead to compromise your device, expose sensitive data, and cause financial losses.

‍

Conclusion

‍

This Rakhi, ensure your and your sibling’s online safety and security by being cybersafe and smart. You can seek assistance from the CyberPeace Helpline at helpline@cyberpeace.net

‍

‍

Executive Summary 

A video is being shared on social media with the claim that it shows Iran’s attack on a US military base located in Kuwait. It is being claimed that the video is from a recent attack carried out by Iran. CyberPeace Research Wing ’s research found the claim to be false. The research revealed that the video is actually from Panwan, a coastal town in southern Pakistan. The footage was published in connection with reports of a suicide attack carried out by a prominent militant organisation. The video has no connection with the alleged Iranian attack on a US military base in Kuwait.

‍

Claim:

A Facebook post shared in the Sinhala language on July 25, 2026, claimed: “Iran targeted US-controlled Kuwaiti border checkpoints. The Abdali border checkpoint has been completely destroyed.” The post was shared along with a video of around one minute. In the video, a blue truck can be seen entering a secured compound. Within seconds, a massive explosion takes place, followed by a thick cloud of smoke rising into the sky. Text written in Sinhala on the video claimed: “Watch how Iran is attacking the US Abdali border crossing base located on the Kuwait border.”

https://www.facebook.com/reel/979364938493872 

https://web.archive.org/web/20260730055635/https://www.facebook.com/reel/979364938493872 

Factcheck

As part of the research, keyframes from the viral video were extracted and a reverse image search was conducted. During the search, we found a report published by India Today on July 4, 2026. According to the report, the footage actually shows a suicide attack carried out by the Pakistan-based Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militant group.

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/bla-claims-over-30-killed-in-suicide-attack-on-gwadar-coast-guards-camp-2940297-2026-07-04

‍

‍

Further research led us to a report about a suicide bombing in Gwadar, Pakistan. According to the report, the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack and claimed that more than 30 security personnel were killed. Journalist Diksha Bisla also shared details about the incident.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1233630812123459

‍

‍

A search on Google Maps showed the Panwan area and a structure along Gwadar Road that resembles the location visible in the viral video.

Panwan - Google Maps

‍

Conclusion:

‍

CyberPeace Research Wing ’s research found that the claim is false. The viral video is not related to any alleged Iranian attack on a US military base in Kuwait. The footage is from Panwan, a coastal town in southern Pakistan, and was circulated during reports of a suicide attack claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

‍

Introduction

In an era when misinformation spreads like wildfire across the digital landscape, the need for effective strategies to counteract these challenges has grown exponentially in a very short period. Prebunking and Debunking are two approaches for countering the growing spread of misinformation online. Prebunking empowers individuals by teaching them to discern between true and false information and acts as a protective layer that comes into play even before people encounter malicious content. Debunking is the correction of false or misleading claims after exposure, aiming to undo or reverse the effects of a particular piece of misinformation. Debunking includes methods such as fact-checking, algorithmic correction on a platform, social correction by an individual or group of online peers, or fact-checking reports by expert organisations or journalists. An integrated approach which involves both strategies can be effective in countering the rapid spread of misinformation online.

Brief Analysis of Prebunking 

Prebunking is a proactive practice that seeks to rebut erroneous information before it spreads. The goal is to train people to critically analyse information and develop ‘cognitive immunity’ so that they are less likely to be misled when they do encounter misinformation. 

The Prebunking approach, grounded in Inoculation theory, teaches people to recognise, analyse and avoid manipulation and misleading content so that they build resilience against the same. Inoculation theory, a social psychology framework, suggests that pre-emptively conferring psychological resistance against malicious persuasion attempts can reduce susceptibility to misinformation across cultures. As the term suggests, the MO is to help the mind in the present develop resistance to influence that it may encounter in the future. Just as medical vaccines or inoculations help the body build resistance to future infections by administering weakened doses of the harm agent, inoculation theory seeks to teach people fact from fiction through exposure to examples of weak, dichotomous arguments, manipulation tactics like emotionally charged language, case studies that draw parallels between truths and distortions, and so on. In showing people the difference, inoculation theory teaches them to be on the lookout for misinformation and manipulation even, or especially, when they least expect it. 

The core difference between Prebunking and Debunking is that while the former is preventative and seeks to provide a broad-spectrum cover against misinformation, the latter is reactive and focuses on specific instances of misinformation. While Debunking is closely tied to fact-checking, Prebunking is tied to a wider range of specific interventions, some of which increase motivation to be vigilant against misinformation and others increase the ability to engage in vigilance with success.

There is much to be said in favour of the Prebunking approach because these interventions build the capacity to identify misinformation and recognise red flags However, their success in practice may vary. It might be difficult to scale up Prebunking efforts and ensure their reach to a larger audience. Sustainability is critical in ensuring that Prebunking measures maintain their impact over time. Continuous reinforcement and reminders may be required to ensure that individuals retain the skills and information they gained from the Prebunking training activities. Misinformation tactics and strategies are always evolving, so it is critical that Prebunking interventions are also flexible and agile and respond promptly to developing challenges. This may be easier said than done, but with new misinformation and cyber threats developing frequently, it is a challenge that has to be addressed for Prebunking to be a successful long-term solution. 

Encouraging people to be actively cautious while interacting with information, acquire critical thinking abilities, and reject the effect of misinformation requires a significant behavioural change over a relatively short period of time. Overcoming ingrained habits and prejudices, and countering a natural reluctance to change is no mean feat. Developing a widespread culture of information literacy requires years of social conditioning and unlearning and may pose a significant challenge to the effectiveness of Prebunking interventions. 

Brief Analysis of Debunking 

Debunking is a technique for identifying and informing people that certain news items or information are incorrect or misleading. It seeks to lessen the impact of misinformation that has already spread. The most popular kind of Debunking occurs through collaboration between fact-checking organisations and social media businesses. Journalists or other fact-checkers discover inaccurate or misleading material, and social media platforms flag or label it. Debunking is an important strategy for curtailing the spread of misinformation and promoting accuracy in the digital information ecosystem. 

Debunking interventions are crucial in combating misinformation. However, there are certain challenges associated with the same. Debunking misinformation entails critically verifying facts and promoting corrected information. However, this is difficult owing to the rising complexity of modern tools used to generate narratives that combine truth and untruth, views and facts. These advanced approaches, which include emotional spectrum elements, deepfakes, audiovisual material, and pervasive trolling, necessitate a sophisticated reaction at all levels: technological, organisational, and cultural.

Furthermore, It is impossible to debunk all misinformation at any given time, which effectively means that it is impossible to protect everyone at all times, which means that at least some innocent netizens will fall victim to manipulation despite our best efforts.  Debunking is inherently reactive in nature, addressing misinformation after it has grown extensively. This reactionary method may be less successful than proactive strategies such as Prebunking from the perspective of total harm done. Misinformation producers operate swiftly and unexpectedly, making it difficult for fact-checkers to keep up with the rapid dissemination of erroneous or misleading information. Debunking may need continuous exposure to fact-check to prevent erroneous beliefs from forming, implying that a single Debunking may not be enough to rectify misinformation.  Debunking requires time and resources, and it is not possible to disprove every piece of misinformation that circulates at any particular moment. This constraint may cause certain misinformation to go unchecked, perhaps leading to unexpected effects. The misinformation on social media can be quickly spread and may become viral faster than Debunking pieces or articles. This leads to a situation in which misinformation spreads like a virus, while the antidote to debunked facts struggles to catch up.

Prebunking vs Debunking: Comparative Analysis

Prebunking interventions seek to educate people to recognise and reject misinformation before they are exposed to actual manipulation. Prebunking offers tactics for critical examination, lessening the individuals' susceptibility to misinformation in a variety of contexts. On the other hand, Debunking interventions involve correcting specific false claims after they have been circulated. While Debunking can address individual instances of misinformation, its impact on reducing overall reliance on misinformation may be limited by the reactive nature of the approach.

CyberPeace Policy Recommendations for Tech/Social Media Platforms

With the rising threat of online misinformation, tech/social media platforms can adopt an integrated strategy that includes both Prebunking and Debunking initiatives to be deployed and supported on all platforms to empower users to recognise the manipulative messaging through Prebunking and be aware of the accuracy of misinformation through Debunking interventions. 

1. Gamified Inoculation: Tech/social media companies can encourage gamified inoculation campaigns, which is a competence-oriented approach to Prebunking misinformation. This can be effective in helping people immunise the receiver against subsequent exposures. It can empower people to build competencies to detect misinformation through gamified interventions. 
2. Promotion of Prebunking and Debunking Campaigns through Algorithm Mechanisms: Tech/social media platforms may promote and guarantee that algorithms prioritise the distribution of Prebunking materials to users, boosting educational content that strengthens resistance to misinformation. Platform operators should incorporate algorithms that prioritise the visibility of Debunking content in order to combat the spread of erroneous information and deliver proper corrections; this can eventually address and aid in Prebunking and Debunking methods to reach a bigger or targeted audience.
3. User Empowerment to Counter Misinformation: Tech/social media platforms can design user-friendly interfaces that allow people to access Prebunking materials, quizzes, and instructional information to help them improve their critical thinking abilities. Furthermore, they can incorporate simple reporting tools for flagging misinformation, as well as links to fact-checking resources and corrections.
4. Partnership with Fact-Checking/Expert Organizations: Tech/social media platforms can facilitate Prebunking and Debunking initiatives/campaigns by collaborating with fact-checking/expert organisations and promoting such initiatives at a larger scale and ultimately fighting misinformation with joint hands initiatives.

Conclusion

The threat of online misinformation is only growing with every passing day and so, deploying effective countermeasures is essential.  Prebunking and Debunking are the two such interventions. To sum up: Prebunking interventions try to increase resilience to misinformation, proactively lowering susceptibility to erroneous or misleading information and addressing broader patterns of misinformation consumption, while Debunking is effective in correcting a particular piece of misinformation and having a targeted impact on belief in individual false claims. An integrated approach involving both the methods and joint initiatives by tech/social media platforms and expert organizations can ultimately help in fighting the rising tide of online misinformation and establishing a resilient online information landscape. 

References

1. https://mark-hurlstone.github.io/THKE.22.BJP.pdf
2. https://futurefreespeech.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Empowering-Audiences-Through-%E2%80%98Prebunking-Michael-Bang-Petersen-Background-Report_formatted.pdf
3. https://newsreel.pte.hu/news/unprecedented_challenges_Debunking_disinformation
4. https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/global-vaccination-badnews/

‍