#FactCheck - AI Generated image of Virat Kohli falsely claims to be sand art of a child

Introduction

The Data Security Council of India’s India Cyber Threat Report 2025 calculates that a staggering 702 potential attacks happened per minute on average in the country in 2024.  Recent alleged data breaches on organisations such as Star Health, WazirX, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), BSNL, etc. highlight the vulnerabilities of government organisations, critical industries, businesses, and individuals in managing their digital assets. India is the second most targeted country for cyber attacks globally, which warrants the development and adoption of cybersecurity governance frameworks essential for the structured management of cyber environments. The following global models offer valuable insights and lessons that can help strengthen cybersecurity governance.

Overview of Global Cybersecurity Governance Models 

Cybersecurity governance frameworks provide a structured strategy to mitigate and address cyber threats. Different regions have developed their own governance models for cybersecurity, but they all emphasize risk management, compliance, and cross-sector collaboration for the protection of digital assets. Four such major models are: 

1. NIST CSF 2.0 (U.S.A): The National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber Security Framework provides a flexible, voluntary, risk-based approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution to manage cybersecurity risks. It endorses six core functions, which are:  Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. This is a widely adopted framework used by both public and private sector organizations even outside the U.S.A. 
2. ISO/IEC 27001: This is a globally recognized standard developed jointly by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It provides a risk-based approach to help organizations of all sizes and types to identify, assess, and mitigate potential cybersecurity threats to Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) and preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.  Organizations can seek ISO 27001 certification to demonstrate compliance with laws and regulations.
3. EU NIS2 Directive: The Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2) is an updated EU cybersecurity law that imposes strict obligations on critical services providers in four overarching areas: risk management, corporate accountability, reporting obligations, and business continuity. It is the most comprehensive cybersecurity directive in the EU to date, and non-compliance may attract non-monetary remedies, administrative fines up to at least €10 million or 2% of the global annual revenue (whichever is higher), or even criminal sanctions for top managers. 
4. GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)of the EU is a comprehensive data privacy law that also has major cybersecurity implications. It mandates that organizations must integrate cybersecurity into their data protection policies and report breaches within 72 hours, and it prescribes a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover for non-compliance. 

India’s Cybersecurity Governance Landscape 

In light of the growing nature of cyber threats, it is notable that the Indian government has taken comprehensive measures along with efforts by relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Payments Corporation (NPCI) and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), CERT-In. However, there is still a lack of an overarching cybersecurity governance framework or comprehensive law in this area. Multiple regulatory bodies in India oversee cybersecurity for various sectors. Key mechanisms are: 

1. CERT-In Guidelines: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is the nodal agency responsible for cybersecurity incident response, threat intelligence sharing, and capacity building. Organizations are mandated to maintain logs for 180 days and report cyber incidents to CERT-In within six hours of noticing them according to directions under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act).
2. IT Act & DPDP Act: These Acts, along with their associated rules, lay down the legal framework for the protection of ICT systems in India.  While some sections mandate that “reasonable” cybersecurity standards be followed, specifics are left to the discretion of the organisations. Enforcement frameworks are vague, which leaves sectoral regulators to fill the gaps. 
3. Sectoral regulations: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the Department of Telecommunications, the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and other regulatory bodies require that cybersecurity standards be maintained by their regulated entities. 

Lessons for India & Way Forward 

As the world faces unprecedented security and privacy threats to its digital ecosystem, the need for more comprehensive cybersecurity policies, awareness, and capacity building has perhaps never been greater. While cybersecurity practices may vary with the size, nature, and complexity of an organization (hence “reasonableness” informing measures taken), there is a need for a centralized governance framework in India similar to NIST2 to unify sectoral requirements for simplified compliance and improve enforcement. India ranks 10th on the World Cybercrime Index and was found to be "specialising" in scams and mid-tech crimes- those which affect mid-range businesses and individuals the most. To protect them, India needs to strengthen its enforcement mechanisms across more than just the critical sectors. This can be explored by penalizing bigger organizations handling user data susceptible to breaches more stringently, creating an enabling environment for strong cybersecurity practices through incentives for MSMEs, and investing in cybersecurity workforce training and capacity building. Finally,  there is a scope for increased public-private collaboration for real-time cyber intelligence sharing.  Thus, a unified, risk-based national cybersecurity governance framework encompassing the current multi-pronged cybersecurity landscape would give direction to siloed efforts. It would help standardize best practices, streamline compliance, and strengthen overall cybersecurity resilience across all sectors in India.
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References

• https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635e632477408d12d1811a64/676e56ee4cc30a320aecf231_Cloudsek%20Annual%20Threat%20Landscape%20Report%202024%20(1).pdf 
• https://strobes.co/blog/top-data-breaches-in-2024-month-wise/#:~:text=In%20a%20large%2Dscale%20data,emails%2C%20and%20even%20identity%20theft. 
• https://www.google.com/search?q=nist+2.0&oq=nist+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggBEEUYOzIHCAAQABiPAjIGCAEQRRg7MgYIAhBFGDsyCggDEAAYsQMYgAQyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBggHEEUYPNIBCDE2MTJqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 
• https://www.iso.org/standard/27001
• https://nis2directive.eu/nis2-requirements/ 
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/india-ranks-number-10-in-cybercrime-study-finds/articleshow/109223208.cms?from=mdr 

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Introduction

Robotic or Robo dogs are created to resemble dogs in conduct and appearance, usually comprising canine features including barking and wagging tails. Some examples include Rhex (hexapod robot), Littledog and BigDog (created by Boston Dynamics robot). Robodogs, on the whole, can even respond to commands and look at a person with large LED-lit puppy eyes. 

A four-legged robotic solution was recently concluded through its foremost successful radiation protection test inside the most extensive experimental area at the European Organization for Nuclear Research known as CERN. Each robot created at CERN is carefully crafted to fulfil exceptional challenges and complement each other. Unlike the previous wheeled, tracked or monorail robots, the robodogs will be capable of penetrating unexplored dimensions of the caverns, expanding the spectrum of surroundings that CERN robots can act as a guide. Also, Incorporating the robodog with the existing monorail robots in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) tunnel will expand the range of places available for monitoring and supervision, improving the security and efficiency of the operation of CERN. Lenovo too has designed a six-legged robot called the "Daystar Bot GS" to be launched this year, which promises "comprehensive data collection." 

Use of Robodogs in diverse domains

Due to the enhancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), robodogs can be a boon for those with exceptional requirements.  The advantage of AI is the dependability of its features, which can be programmed to answer certain commands detailed to the user. 

In the context of health and well-being, they can be useful if they are programmed to take care of a person with distinct or special requirements (elderly person or visually impaired person). For this reason, they are considered more advantageous than the real dogs. Recently, New Stanford has designed robodogs that can perform several physical activities, including dancing and may also one day assist in putting pediatric patients in comfort during their hospital stays.  Similarly, the robodog, "Pupper", is a revamped version of another robotic dog designed at Stanford called "Doggo", an open-source bot with 3D printed elements that one could create on a fairly small budget. They were also created to interact with humans. Furthermore, Robots as friends are a more comfortable hop for the Japanese. The oldest and most successful social robot in Japan is called "Paro", resembling an ordinary plush toy that can help in treating depression, stress, anxiety and also mood swings in a person. Following 1998, several Paro robots were exported overseas and put into service globally, reducing stress among children in ICUs, treating American veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and assisting dementia patients. 

Post-pandemic, the Japanese experiencing loneliness and isolation have been clinging to social robots for mind healing and comfort.  Likewise, at a cafe in Japan, proud owners of the AI-driven robot dog "Aibo" have pawed its course into the minds and hearts of the people. Presently, robots are replacing the conventional class guinea pig or bunny at Moriyama Kindergarten in the central Japanese city of Nagoya. According to the teachers here, the bots apparently reduce stress and teach kids to be more humane. 

In the security and defence domain, the unique skills of robodogs allow them to be used in hazardous and challenging circumstances. They can even navigate through rugged topography with reassurance to save stranded individuals from natural catastrophes. They could correspondingly help with search and rescue procedures, surveillance, and other circumstances that could be dangerous for humans. Researchers or experts are still fine-tuning the algorithm to develop them by devising the technology and employing affordable off-shelf robots that are already functional. Robodogs are further used for providing surveillance in hostage crises, defusing bombs, besides killing people to stop them from attacking other individuals. Similarly, a breakthrough in AI is being tested by the Australian military that reportedly allows soldiers to control robodogs solely with their minds. Cities like Florida and St. Petersburg also seem bound to keep police robodogs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is further seeking plans to deploy robot dogs at the borderlands. Also, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) intends to once again deploy four-legged 'Robodogs' to deal with high-risk circumstances like hostage negotiations. The NYPD has previously employed alike robodogs for high-octane duties in examining unsafe environments where human officers should not be exposed. The U.S. Marine Corps is additionally experimenting with a new breed of robotic canine that can be helpful in the battleground, enhance the safety and mobility of soldiers, and aid in other tasks. The Unitree Go1 robot dog (Nicknamed GOAT-Grounded Open-Air Transport) by the Marines is a four-legged machine that has a built-in AI system, which can be equipped to carry an infantry anti-armour rocket launcher on its back. The GOAT robot dog is designed to help the Marines move hefty loads, analyse topography, and deliver fire support in distant and dangerous places.

However, on the contrary, robodogs may pose ethical and moral predicaments regarding who is accountable for their actions and how to ensure their adherence to the laws of warfare. This may further increase security and privacy situations on how to safeguard the data of the robotic dogs and contain hacking or sabotage.

Conclusion

Teaching robots to traverse the world conventionally has been an extravagant challenge. Though the world has been seeing an increase in their manufacturing, it is simply a machine and can never replace the feeling of owning a real dog.  Designers state that intelligent social robots will never replace humans, though robots provide the assurance of social harmony without social contact. Also, they may not be capable of managing complicated or unforeseen circumstances that need instinct or human decision-making. Nevertheless, owning robodogs in the coming decades is expected to become even more common and cost-effective as they evolve or advance with new algorithms being tested and implemented. 

References:

• https://home.cern/news/news/engineering/introducing-cerns-robodog
• https://news.stanford.edu/2023/10/04/ai-approach-yields-athletically-intelligent-robotic-dog/
• https://nypost.com/2023/02/17/combat-ai-robodogs-follow-telepathic-commands-from-soldiers/
• https://www.popsci.com/technology/parkour-algorithm-robodog/
• https://ggba.swiss/en/cern-unveils-its-innovative-robodog-for-radiation-detection/
• https://www.themarshallproject.org/2022/12/10/san-francisco-killer-robots-policing-debate
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/robo-dogs-therapy-bots-artificial-intelligence/
• https://news.stanford.edu/report/2023/08/01/robo-dogs-unleash-fun-joy-stanford-hospital/
• https://www.pcmag.com/news/lenovo-creates-six-legged-daystar-gs-robot
• https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-breed-military-ai-robo-dogs-could-marines-secret-weapon
• https://www.wptv.com/news/national/new-york-police-will-use-four-legged-robodogs-again
• https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/us-news/creepy-robodogs-controlled-soldiers-minds-29638615
• https://www.newarab.com/news/robodogs-part-israels-army-robots-gaza-war
• https://us.aibo.com/

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Executive Summary:

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A viral video circulating on social media that appears to be deliberately misleading and manipulative is shown to have been done by comedian Samay Raina casually making a lighthearted joke about actress Rekha in the presence of host Amitabh Bachchan which left him visibly unsettled while shooting for an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) Influencer Special. The joke pointed to the gossip and rumors of unspoken tensions between the two Bollywood Legends. Our research has ruled out that the video is artificially manipulated and reflects a non genuine content. However, the specific joke in the video does not appear in the original KBC episode. This incident highlights the growing misuse of AI technology in creating and spreading misinformation, emphasizing the need for increased public vigilance and awareness in verifying online information.

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Claim:

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The claim in the video suggests that during a recent "Influencer Special" episode of KBC, Samay Raina humorously asked Amitabh Bachchan, "What do you and a circle have in common?" and then delivered the punchline, "Neither of you and circle have Rekha (line)," playing on the Hindi word "rekha," which means 'line'.ervicing routes between Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Jaipur. This assertion is accompanied by images of a futuristic aircraft, implying that such technology is currently being used to transport commercial passengers.

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Fact Check:

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To check the genuineness of the claim, the whole Influencer Special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) which can also be found on the Sony Set India YouTube channel was carefully reviewed. Our analysis proved that no part of the episode had comedian Samay Raina cracking a joke on actress Rekha. The technical analysis using Hive moderator further found that the viral clip is AI-made.

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Conclusion:

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A viral video on the Internet that shows Samay Raina making a joke about Rekha during KBC was released and completely AI-generated and false. This poses a serious threat to manipulation online and that makes it all the more important to place a fact-check for any news from credible sources before putting it out. Promoting media literacy is going to be key to combating misinformation at this time, with the danger of misuse of AI-generated content.

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• Claim: Fake AI Video: Samay Raina’s Rekha Joke Goes Viral
• Claimed On: X (Formally known as Twitter)
• Fact Check: False and Misleading