DPDP Bill 2023 A Comparative Analysis

Executive Summary

The ongoing conflict between the US-Israel and Iran has entered its third week. During this period, Iran reportedly targeted the US military base at Al Udeid in Qatar. Amid this, a video is going viral on social media showing people, vehicles, and chaos following an alleged attack. Some users are sharing it as footage of an Iranian missile strike on the Al Udeid Air Base. However, an research by the CyberPeacefound that the viral video is not real but AI-generated.

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Claim:

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An Instagram user “thenewscartel” shared the video on March 17, 2026, with the caption: “Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (March 16, 2026): Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at the US military’s largest Middle East base near Doha as retaliation for US-Israel strikes in Tehran. Qatar’s Defense Ministry confirmed multiple launches. Most were intercepted by Qatari air defense. One missile landed near the base or in an uninhabited area. No casualties or major damage reported. Explosions were heard in Doha, and smoke was seen in the sky.”

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• https://www.instagram.com/reels/DV-c-zpjA_e/ 
• https://perma.cc/FF2G-3UKC?type=standard 

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Fact Check:

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To verify the claim, we closely examined the viral video. We observed multiple visual inconsistencies—one person appears to be walking in reverse, another disappears and reappears, and the body shapes of people distort as they begin to run. These anomalies strongly indicate AI manipulation. We then analyzed the video using the AI detection tool Zhuque AI, which indicated an approximately 80 percent likelihood that the video is AI-generated.

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Further analysis using Hive Moderation showed around a 57 percent probability of the video being AI-generated.

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Conclusion:

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Our research found that the viral video being shared as footage of an Iranian attack on the US military base at Al Udeid in Qatar is AI-generated and not related to any real incident.

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Introduction

Cybersecurity remains a crucial component in the modern digital era, considering the growing threat landscape caused by our increased reliance on technology and the internet. The Karnataka Government introduced a new ‘Cyber Security Policy 2024’ to address increasing cybercrimes and enhance protection measures for the State's digital infrastructure through awareness, skill development, public-private collaborations, and technology integration. Officials stated that the policy highlights various important aspects including raising awareness and providing education, developing skills, supporting the industry and start-ups, as well as forming partnerships and collaborations for enhancing capacity.

Key Highlights

• The policy consists of two components. The initial segment emphasizes creating a robust cyber security environment involving various sectors such as the public, academia, industry, start-ups, and government. The second aspect of the policy aims to enhance the cybersecurity status of the State's IT resources. Although the initial section will be accessible to the public, the second portion will be restricted to the state's IT teams and departments for their IT implementation.
• The Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (e-Governance),and the Home Department, in collaboration with stakeholders from government and private sectors, have collectively formulated this policy. The Indian Institute of Science, the main institute for the state's K-tech Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security (CySecK), also examined the policy.
• The Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (e-Governance),and the Home Department, in collaboration with stakeholders from government and private sectors, have collectively formulated this policy. The Indian Institute of Science, the main institute for the state's K-tech Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security (CySecK), also examined the policy.
• Approximately ₹103.87 crore will be spent over five years to implement the policy, which would be fulfilled from the budget allocated to the Department of Information Technology and Biotechnology and Science & Technology. A total of ₹23.74 crore would be allocated for offering incentives and concessions.
• The policy focuses on key pillars of building awareness and skills, promoting research and innovation, promoting industry and start-ups, partnerships and collaborations for capacity building.
• Karnataka-based undergraduate and postgraduate interns will receive a monthly stipend of INR 10,000- Rs15,000 fora maximum duration of three months under the internship program. The goal is to support 600 interns at the undergraduate level and 120 interns at the post-graduate level within the policy timeframe.
• Karnataka-based start-ups collaborating with academic institutes can receive matching grants of up to 50% of the total R&D cost for cybersecurity projects, or a maximum of ₹50 lakh.
• Reimbursement will be provided for expenses up to a maximum of INR 1 Lakh for start-ups registered with Karnataka Start-up Cell who engage CERT-In empanelled service providers from Karnataka for cyber security audit.
• The Karnataka government has partnered with Meta to raise awareness on cyber security. By reaching out to educational institutions, schools and colleges, it is piloted to provide training to 1 lakh teachers and educate 1 million children on online safety.

CyberPeace Policy Wing Outlook

The Cyber Security Policy, 2024 launched by the Karnataka government is a testament to the state government's commitment to strengthening the cyber security posture and establishing cyber resilience. By promoting and supporting research and development projects, supporting startups, and providing skill training internships, and capacity building at a larger scale, the policy will serve asa positive step in countering the growing cyber threats and establishing a peaceful digital environment for all. The partnership and collaboration with tech companies will be instrumental in implementing the capacity-building initiatives aimed at building cognitive and skill defenses while navigating the digital world. The policy will inspire other state governments in their policy initiatives for building safe and secure cyber-infrastructure in the states by implementing strategies tailored to the specific needs and demands of each state in building safe digital infrastructure and environment.

References:

• https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/bengaluru-news/karnataka-govt-launches-new-cyber-security-policy-amid-frequent-scams-101722598078117.html
• https://ciso.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/grc/karnataka-govt-launches-new-cyber-security-policy/112214121
• https://cybermithra.in/2024/08/09/karnataka-cyber-security-policy/

• https://itbtst.karnataka.gov.in/storage/pdf-files/ITBT48ADM2021EngCABINET-GO.pdf

Introduction

Social media has emerged as a leading source of communication and information; its relevance cannot be ignored during natural disasters since it is relied upon by governments and disaster relief organisations as a tool for disseminating aid and relief-related resources and communications instantly. During disaster times, social media has emerged as a primary source for affected populations to access information on relief resources; community forums offering aid resources and official government channels for government aid have enabled efficient and timely administration of relief initiatives.

However, given the nature of social media, misinformation risks during natural disasters has also emerged as a primary concern that severely hampers aid administration during natural disasters. The disaster-disinformation network offers some sensationalised influential campaigns against communities at their most vulnerable. Victims who seek reliable resources during natural calamities often reach out to inhospitable campaigns and may experience delayed or lack of access to necessary healthcare, significantly impacting their recovery and survival. This delay can lead to worsening medical conditions and an increased death toll among those affected by the disaster. Victims may lack clear information on the appropriate agencies to seek assistance from, causing confusion and delays in receiving help. 

Misinformation Threat Landscape during Natural Disaster

During the 2018 floods in Kerala, it was noted that a fake video on water leakage from the Mullaperyar Dam created panic among the citizens and negatively impacted the rescue operations. Similarly, in 2017, reports emerged claiming that Hurricane Irma had caused sharks to be displaced onto a Florida highway. Similar stories, accompanied by the same image, resurfaced following Hurricanes Harvey and Florence. The disaster-affected nation may face international criticism and fail to receive necessary support due to its perceived inability to manage the crisis effectively. This lack of confidence from the global community can further exacerbate the challenges faced by the nation, leaving it more vulnerable and isolated in its time of need.

The spread of misinformation through social media severely hinders the administration of aid and relief operations during natural disasters since it hinders first responders' efforts to counteract and reduce the spread of misinformation, rumours, and false information and declines public trust in government, media, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who are often the first point of contact for both victims and officials due to their familiarity with the region and the community. In Moldova, it was noted that foreign influence has exploited the ongoing drought to create divisions between the semi-autonomous regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia and the central government in Chisinau. News coverage critical of the government leverages economic and energy insecurities to incite civil unrest in this already unstable region. Additionally, First responders may struggle to locate victims and assist them to safety, complicating rescue operations. The inability to efficiently find and evacuate those in need can result in prolonged exposure to dangerous conditions and a higher risk of injury or death.

Further, international aid from other countries could be impeded, affecting the overall relief effort. Without timely and coordinated support from the global community, the disaster response may be insufficient, leaving many needs unmet. Further, misinformation also impedes military, reducing the effectiveness of rescue and relief operations. Military assistance often plays a crucial role in disaster response, and any delays can hinder efforts to provide immediate and large-scale aid.

Misinformation also creates problems of allocation of relief resources to unaffected areas which resultantly impacts aid processes for regions in actual need. Following the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal, a Facebook post claimed that 300 houses in Dhading needed aid. Shared over 1,000 times, it reached around 350,000 people within 48 hours. The originator aimed to seek help for Ward #4’s villagers via social media. Given the average Facebook user has 350 contacts, the message was widely viewed. However, the need had already been reported on quakemap.org, a crisis-mapping database managed by Kathmandu Living Labs, a week earlier. Helping Hands, a humanitarian group was notified on May 7, and by May 11, Ward #4 received essential food and shelter. The re-sharing and sensationalisation of outdated information could have wasted relief efforts since critical resources would have been redirected to a region that had already been secured.

Policy Recommendations

Perhaps the most important step in combating misinformation during natural disasters is the increasing public education and the rapid, widespread dissemination of early warnings. This was best witnessed in the November 1970 tropical cyclone in southeastern Bangladesh, combined with a high tide, struck southeastern Bangladesh, leaving more than 300,000 people dead and 1.3 million homeless. In May 1985, when a comparable cyclone and storm surge hit the same area, local dissemination of disaster warnings was much improved and the people were better prepared to respond to them. The loss of life, while still high (at about 10,000), the numbers were about 3% of that in 1970. On a similar note, when a devastating cyclone struck the same area of Bangladesh in May 1994, fewer than 1,000 people died. In India, the 1977 cyclone in Andra Pradesh killed 10,000 people, but a similar storm in the same area 13 years later killed only 910. The dramatic difference in mortalities was owed to a new early-warning system connected with radio stations to alert people in low-lying areas. 

Additionally, location-based filtering for monitoring social media during disasters is considered as another best practice to curb misinformation. However, agencies should be aware that this method may miss local information from devices without geolocation enabled. A 2012 Georgia Tech study found that less than 1.4 percent of Twitter content is geolocated. Additionally, a study by Humanity Road and Arizona State University on Hurricane Sandy data indicated a significant decline in geolocation data during weather events.

Alternatively, Publish frequent updates to promote transparency and control the message. In emergency management and disaster recovery, digital volunteers—trusted agents who provide online support—can assist overwhelmed on-site personnel by managing the vast volume of social media data. Trained digital volunteers help direct affected individuals to critical resources and disseminate reliable information. 

Enhancing the quality of communication requires double-verifying information to eliminate ambiguity and reduce the impact of misinformation, rumors, and false information must also be emphasised. This approach helps prevent alert fatigue and "cry wolf" scenarios by ensuring that only accurate, relevant information is disseminated. Prioritizing ground truth over assumptions and swiftly releasing verified information or acknowledging the situation can bolster an agency's credibility. This credibility allows the agency to collaborate effectively with truth amplifiers. Prebunking and Debunking methods are also effective way to counter misinformation and build cognitive defenses to recognise red flags. Additionally, evaluating the relevance of various social media information is crucial for maintaining clear and effective communication.

References

1. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40399-9#:~:text=Moreover%2C%20misinformation%20can%20create%20unnecessary,impacting%20the%20rescue%20operations29. 
2. https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2023/5/why-misinformation-is-dangerous-especially-during-disasters
3. https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/blog/disinformation-during-natural-disasters-emerging-vulnerability‍
4. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/SMWG_Countering-False-Info-Social-M dia-Disasters-Emergencies_Mar2018-508.pdf