#FactCheck - An edited video of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh criticizing PM getting viral
Executive Summary:
An alleged video is making the rounds on the internet featuring Ranveer Singh criticizing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government. But after examining the video closely it revealed that it has been tampered with to change the audio. In fact, the original videos posted by different media outlets actually show Ranveer Singh praising Varanasi, professing his love for Lord Shiva, and acknowledging Modiji’s role in enhancing the cultural charms and infrastructural development of the city. Differences in lip synchronization and the fact that the original video has no sign of criticizing PM Modi show that the video has been potentially manipulated in order to spread misinformation.
Claims:
The Viral Video of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the Video we divided the video into keyframes and reverse-searched one of the images, we landed on another video of Ranveer Singh with lookalike appearance, posted by an Instagram account named, “The Indian Opinion News''. In the video Ranveer Singh talks about his experience of visiting Kashi Vishwanath Temple with Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon. When we watched the Full video we found no indication of criticizing PM Modi.
Taking a cue from this we did some keyword search to find the full video of the interview. We found many videos uploaded by media outlets but none of the videos indicates criticizing PM Modi as claimed in the viral video.
Ranveer Singh shared his thoughts about how he feels about Lord Shiva, his opinions on the city and the efforts undertaken by the Prime Minister Modi to keep history and heritage of Varanasi alive as well as the city's ongoing development projects. The discrepancy in the viral video clip is clearly seen when we look at it closely. The lips are not in synchronization with the words which we can hear. It is clearly seen in the original video that the lips are in perfect synchronization with the words of audio. Upon lack of evidence to the claim made and discrepancies in the video prove that the video was edited to misrepresent the original interview of Bollywood Actor Ranveer Singh. Hence, the claim made is misleading and false.
Conclusion:
The video that claims Ranveer Singh criticizing PM Narendra Modi is not genuine. Further investigation shows that it has been edited by changing the audio. The original footage actually shows Singh speaking positively about Varanasi and Modi's work. Differences in lip-syncing and upon lack of evidence highlight the danger of misinformation created by simple editing. Ultimately, the claim made is false and misleading.
- Claim: A viral featuring Ranveer Singh criticizing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government.
- Claimed on: X (formerly known as Twitter)
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
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Introduction
Cyber slavery is a form of modern exploitation that begins with online deception and evolves into physical human trafficking. In recent times, cyber slavery has emerged as a serious threat that involves exploiting individuals through digital means under coercive or deceptive conditions. Offenders target innocent individuals and lure them by giving fake promises to offer them employment or alike. Cyber slavery can occur on a global scale, targeting vulnerable individuals worldwide through the internet and is a disturbing continuum of online manipulation that leads to real-world abuse and exploitation, where individuals are entrapped by false promises and subjected to severe human rights violations. It can take many different forms, such as coercive involvement in cybercrime, forced employment in online frauds, exploitation in the gig economy, or involuntary slavery. This issue has escalated to the highest level where Indians are being trafficked for jobs in countries like Laos and Cambodia. Recently over 5,000 Indians were reported to be trapped in Southeast Asia, where they are allegedly being coerced into carrying out cyber fraud. It was reported that particularly Indian techies were lured to Cambodia for high-paying jobs and later they found themselves trapped in cyber fraud schemes, forced to work 16 hours a day under severe conditions. This is the harsh reality for thousands of Indian tech professionals who are lured under false pretences to employment in Southeast Asia, where they are forced into committing cyber crimes.
Over 5,000 Indians Held in Cyber Slavery and Human Trafficking Rings
India has rescued 250 citizens in Cambodia who were forced to run online scams, with more than 5,000 Indians stuck in Southeast Asia. The victims, mostly young and tech-savvy, are lured into illegal online work ranging from money laundering and crypto fraud to love scams, where they pose as lovers online. It was reported that Indians are being trafficked for jobs in countries like Laos and Cambodia, where they are forced to conduct cybercrime activities. Victims are often deceived about where they would be working, thinking it will be in Thailand or the Philippines. Instead, they are sent to Cambodia, where their travel documents are confiscated and they are forced to carry out a variety of cybercrimes, from stealing life savings to attacking international governmental or non-governmental organizations. The Indian embassy in Phnom Penh has also released an advisory warning Indian nationals of advertisements for fake jobs in the country through which victims are coerced to undertake online financial scams and other illegal activities.
Regulatory Landscape
Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) is prohibited under the Constitution of India under Article
23 (1). The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, of 1956 (ITPA) is the premier legislation for the prevention of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, is a comprehensive legal provision aimed at combating organized crime and will be useful in persecuting people involved in such large-scale scams. India has also ratified certain bilateral agreements with several countries to facilitate intelligence sharing and coordinated efforts to combat transnational organized crime and human trafficking.
CyberPeace Policy Recommendations
● Misuse of Technology has exploited the new genre of cybercrimes whereby cybercriminals utilise social media platforms as a tool for targeting innocent individuals. It requires collective efforts from social media companies and regulatory authorities to time to time address the new emerging cybercrimes and develop robust preventive measures to counter them.
● Despite the regulatory mechanism in place, there are certain challenges such as jurisdictional challenges, challenges in detection due to anonymity, and investigations challenges which significantly make the issue of cyber human trafficking a serious evolving threat. Hence International collaboration between the countries is encouraged to address the issue considering the present situation in a technologically driven world. Robust legislation that addresses both national and international cases of human trafficking and contains strict penalties for offenders must be enforced.
● Cybercriminals target innocent people by offering fake high-pay job opportunities, building trust and luring them. It is high time that all netizens should be aware of such tactics deployed by bad actors and recognise the early signs of them. By staying vigilant and cross-verifying the details from authentic sources, netizens can safeguard themselves from such serious threats which even endanger their life by putting them under restrictions once they are being trafficked. It is a notable fact that the Indian government and its agencies are continuously making efforts to rescue the victims of cyber human trafficking or cyber slavery, they must further develop robust mechanisms in place to conduct specialised operations by specialised government agencies to rescue the victims in a timely manner.
● Capacity building and support mechanisms must be encouraged by government entities, cyber security experts and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to empower the netizens to follow best practices while navigating the online landscape, providing them with helpline or help centres to report any suspicious activity or behaviour they encounter, and making them empowered to feel safe on the Internet while simultaneously building defenses to stay protected from cyber threats.
References:
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68705913
3. https://therecord.media/india-rescued-cambodia-scam-centers-citizens
4. https://www.the420.in/rescue-indian-tech-workers-cambodia-cyber-fraud-awareness/
7. https://www.dyami.services/post/intel-brief-250-indian-citizens-rescued-from-cyber-slavery
8. https://www.mea.gov.in/human-trafficking.htm
9. https://www.drishtiias.com/blog/the-vicious-cycle-of-human-trafficking-and-cybercrime
Introduction
Beginning with the premise that the advent of the internet has woven a rich but daunting digital web, intertwining the very fabric of technology with the variegated hues of human interaction, the EU has stepped in as the custodian of this ever-evolving tableau. It is within this sprawling network—a veritable digital Minotaur's labyrinth—that the European Union has launched a vigilant quest, seeking not merely to chart its enigmatic corridors but to instil a sense of order in its inherent chaos.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) is the EU's latest testament to this determined pilgrimage, a voyage to assert dominion over the nebulous realms of cyberspace. In its latest sagacious move, the EU has levelled its regulatory lance at the behemoths of digital indulgence—Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat—monarchs in the realm of adult entertainment, each commanding millions of devoted followers.
Applicability of DSA
Graced with the moniker of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), these titans of titillation are now facing the complex weave of duties delineated by the DSA, a legislative leviathan whose coils envelop the shadowy expanses of the internet with an aim to safeguard its citizens from the snares and pitfalls ensconced within. Like a vigilant Minotaur, the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, stands steadfast, enforcing compliance with an unwavering gaze.
The DSA is more than a mere compilation of edicts; it encapsulates a deeper, more profound ethos—a clarion call announcing that the wild frontiers of the digital domain shall be tamed, transforming into enclaves where the sanctity of individual dignity and rights is zealously championed. The three corporations, singled out as the pioneers to be ensnared by the DSA's intricate net, are now beckoned to embark on an odyssey of transformation, realigning their operations with the EU's noble envisioning of a safeguarded internet ecosystem.
The Paradigm Shift
In a resolute succession, following its first decree addressing 19 Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines, the Commission has now ensconced the trinity of adult content purveyors within the DSA's embrace. The act demands that these platforms establish intuitive user mechanisms for reporting illicit content, prioritize communications from entities bestowed with the 'trusted flaggers' title, and elucidate to users the rationale behind actions taken to restrict or remove content. Paramount to the DSA's ethos, they are also tasked with constructing internal mechanisms to address complaints, forthwith apprising law enforcement of content hinting at criminal infractions, and revising their operational underpinnings to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of minors.
But the aspirations of the DSA stretch farther, encompassing a realm where platforms are agents against deception and manipulation of users, categorically eschewing targeted advertisement that exploits sensitive profiling data or is aimed at impressionable minors. The platforms must operate with an air of diligence and equitable objectivity, deftly applying their terms of use, and are compelled to reveal their content moderation practices through annual declarations of transparency.
The DSA bestows upon the designated VLOPs an even more intensive catalogue of obligations. Within a scant four months of their designation, Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat are mandated to implement measures that both empower and shield their users—especially the most vulnerable, minors—from harms that traverse their digital portals. Augmented content moderation measures are requisite, with critical risk analyses and mitigation strategies directed at halting the spread of unlawful content, such as child exploitation material or the non-consensual circulation of intimate imagery, as well as curbing the proliferation and repercussions of deepfake-generated pornography.
The New Rules
The DSA enshrines the preeminence of protecting minors, with a staunch requirement for VLOPs to contrive their services so as to anticipate and enfeeble any potential threats to the welfare of young internet navigators. They must enact operational measures to deter access to pornographic content by minors, including the utilization of robust age verification systems. The themes of transparency and accountability are amplified under the DSA's auspices, with VLOPs subject to external audits of their risk assessments and adherence to stipulations, the obligation to maintain accessible advertising repositories, and the provision of data access to rigorously vetted researchers.
Coordinated by the Commission in concert with the Member States' Digital Services Coordinators, vigilant supervision will be maintained to ensure the scrupulous compliance of Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos with the DSA's stringent directives. The Commission's services are poised to engage with the newly designated platforms diligently, affirming that initiatives aimed at shielding minors from pernicious content, as well as curbing the distribution of illegal content, are effectively addressed.
The EU's monumental crusade, distilled into the DSA, symbolises a pledge—a testament to its steadfast resolve to shepherd cyberspace, ensuring the Minotaur of regulation keeps the bedlam at a manageable compass and the sacrosanctity of the digital realm inviolate for all who meander through its infinite expanses. As we cast our gazes toward February 17, 2024—the cusp of the DSA's comprehensive application—it is palpable that this legislative milestone is not simply a set of guidelines; it stands as a bold, unflinching manifesto. It beckons the advent of a novel digital age, where every online platform, barring small and micro-enterprises, will be enshrined in the lofty ideals imparted by the DSA.
Conclusion
As we teeter on the edge of this nascent digital horizon, it becomes unequivocally clear: the European Union's Digital Services Act is more than a mundane policy—it is a pledge, a resolute statement of purpose, asserting that amid the vast, interwoven tapestry of the internet, each user's safety, dignity, and freedoms are enshrined and hold the intrinsic significance meriting the force of the EU's legislative guard. Although the labyrinth of the digital domain may be convoluted with complexity, guided by the DSA's insightful thread, the march toward a more secure, conscientious online sphere forges on—resolute, unerring, one deliberate stride at a time.
References
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6763https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/three-of-the-biggest-porn-sites-must-verify-ages-under-eus-new-digital-law-1566874.html
Introduction
Regulatory agencies throughout Europe have stepped up their monitoring of digital communication platforms because of the increased use of Artificial Intelligence in the digital domain. Messaging services have evolved into being more than just messaging systems, they now serve as a gateway for Artificial Intelligence services, Business Tools and Digital Marketplaces. In light of this evolution, the Competition Authority in Italy has taken action against Meta Platforms and ordered Meta to cease activities on WhatsApp that are deemed to restrict the ability of other companies to sell AI-based chatbots. This action highlights the concerns surrounding Gatekeeping Power, Market Foreclosure and Innovation Suppression. This proceeding will also raise questions regarding the application of Competition Law to the actions of Dominant Digital Platforms, where they leverage their own ecosystems to promote their own AI products to the detriment of competitors.
Background of the Case
In December 2025, Italy’s competition authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), ordered Meta Platforms to suspend certain contractual terms governing WhatsApp. These terms allegedly prevented or restricted the operation of third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp’s platform.
The decision was issued as an interim measure during an ongoing antitrust investigation. According to the AGCM, the disputed terms risked excluding competing AI chatbot providers from accessing a critical digital channel, thereby distorting competition and harming consumer choice.
Why WhatsApp Matters as a Digital Gateway
WhatsApp is situated uniquely within the European digital landscape. It has hundreds of millions of users throughout the entire European Union; therefore, it is an integral part of the communication infrastructure that supports communications between individual consumers and companies as well as between companies and their service providers. AI chatbot developers depend heavily upon WhatsApp as it provides the ability to connect directly with consumers in real-time, which is critical to their success as business offers.
According to the Italian regulator's opinion, a corporation that controls the ability to communicate via such a popular platform has a tremendous influence over innovation within that market as it essentially operates as a gatekeeper between the company creating an innovative service and the consumer using that service. If Meta is permitted to stop competing AI chatbot developers while providing more productive and useful offers than those offered by competing developers, it is likely that competing developers will be unable to market and distribute their innovative products at sufficient scale to remain competitive.
Alleged Abuse of Dominant Position
Under EU and national competition law, companies holding a dominant market position bear a special responsibility not to distort competition. The AGCM’s concern is that Meta may have abused WhatsApp’s dominance by:
- Restricting market access for rival AI chatbot providers
- Limiting technical development by preventing interoperability
- Strengthening Meta’s own AI ecosystem at the expense of competitors
Such conduct, if proven, could amount to an abuse under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Importantly, the authority emphasised that even contractual terms—rather than explicit bans—can have exclusionary effects when imposed by a dominant platform.
Meta’s Response and Infrastructure Argument
Meta has openly condemned the Italian ruling as “fundamentally flawed,” arguing that third-party AI chatbots represent a major economic burden to the infrastructure and risk the performance, safety, and user enjoyment of WhatsApp.
Although the protection of infrastructure is a valid issue of concern, competition authorities commonly look at whether the justifications for such restrictions are appropriate and non-discriminatory. One of the principal legal issues is whether the restrictions imposed by Meta were applied in a uniform manner or whether they were selectively imposed in favour of Meta's AI services. If the restrictions are asymmetrical in application, they may be viewed as anti-competitive rather than as legitimate technical safeguards.
Link to the EU’s Digital Markets Framework
The Italian case fits into a wider EU context in relation to their efforts to regulate the actions of large technology companies with the use of prior (ex-ante) regulation as contained in the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA has put in place obligations on a set of gatekeepers to make available to third parties on a non-discriminatory basis in order to maintain equitable access, interoperability and no discrimination against those parties.
While the Italian case has been brought pursuant to an Italian competition law, its philosophy is consistent with that of the DMA in that dominant digital platforms should not undertake actions that use their control over their core products and services to prevent other companies from being able to innovate. The trend with some EU national regulators is to be increasingly willing to take swift action through the application of interim measures rather than await many years for final decisions.
Implications for AI Developers and Platforms
The Italian order signifies to developers of AI-based chatbots that competitive access to AI technology via messaging services is an important factor for regulatory bodies. The order also serves as a warning to the large incumbent organisations that are establishing a foothold in the messaging services market to integrate AI into their already established platforms that they will not be protected from competition laws.
Additionally, the overall case showcases the growing consensus amongst regulatory agencies regarding the role of competition in the development of AI. If a handful of large companies are allowed to control both the infrastructure and the AI technology being operated on top of that infrastructure, the result will likely be the development of closed ecosystems that eliminate or greatly reduce the potential for technology diversity.
Conclusion
Italy's move against Meta highlights a significant intersection between competitive laws and artificial intelligence. The Italian antitrust authority has reinforced the principle that digital gatekeepers cannot use contractual methods to block off access to competition in targeting WhatsApp's restrictive terms. As AI becomes a larger part of our day to day digital services, regulatory bodies will likely continue to increase their scrutiny on platform behaviour. The result of this investigation will impact not just the Metaverse's AI strategy, but also create a baseline for future European regulators' methods of balancing innovation versus competition versus consumer choice in an increasingly AI-driven digital marketplace.
References
- https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/italy-watchdog-orders-meta-halt-whatsapp-terms-barring-rival-ai-chatbots-2025-12-24/
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/24/italy-tells-meta-to-suspend-its-policy-that-bans-rival-ai-chatbots-from-whatsapp/
- https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/italy-watchdog-orders-meta-to-halt-whatsapp-terms-barring-rival-ai-chatbots/
- https://www.techinasia.com/news/italy-watchdog-orders-meta-halt-whatsapp-terms-ai-bot
