#FactCheck - Edited Video of ‘India-India’ Chants at Republican National Convention
Executive Summary:
A video online alleges that people are chanting "India India" as Ohio Senator J.D. Vance meets them at the Republican National Convention (RNC). This claim is not correct. The CyberPeace Research team’s investigation showed that the video was digitally changed to include the chanting. The unaltered video was shared by “The Wall Street Journal” and confirmed via the YouTube channel of “Forbes Breaking News”, which features different music performing while Mr. and Mrs. Usha Vance greeted those present in the gathering. So the claim that participants chanted "India India" is not real.
Claims:
A video spreading on social media shows attendees chanting "India-India" as Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance greet them at the Republican National Convention (RNC).
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the posts, we did keyword search related to the context of the viral video. We found a video uploaded by The Wall Street Journal on July 16, titled "Watch: J.D. Vance Is Nominated as Vice Presidential Nominee at the RNC," at the time stamp 0:49. We couldn’t hear any India-India chants whereas in the viral video, we can clearly hear it.
We also found the video on the YouTube channel of Forbes Breaking News. In the timestamp at 3:00:58, we can see the same clip as the viral video but no “India-India” chant could be heard.
Hence, the claim made in the viral video is false and misleading.
Conclusion:
The viral video claiming to show "India-India" chants during Ohio Senator J.D. Vance's greeting at the Republican National Convention is altered. The original video, confirmed by sources including “The Wall Street Journal” and “Forbes Breaking News” features different music without any such chants. Therefore, the claim is false and misleading.
Claim: A video spreading on social media shows attendees chanting "India-India" as Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance greet them at the Republican National Convention (RNC).
Claimed on: X
Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
Related Blogs
Executive Summary:
A recent claim going around on social media that a child created sand sculptures of cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been proven false by the CyberPeace Research Team. The team discovered that the images were actually produced using an AI tool. Evident from the unusual details like extra fingers and unnatural characteristics in the sculptures, the Research Team discerned the likelihood of artificial creation. This suspicion was further substantiated by AI detection tools. This incident underscores the need to fact-check information before posting, as misinformation can quickly go viral on social media. It is advised everyone to carefully assess content to stop the spread of false information.
Claims:
The claim is that the photographs published on social media show sand sculptures of cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni made by a child.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the posts, we carefully examined the images. The collage of 4 pictures has many anomalies which are the clear sign of AI generated images.
In the first image the left hand of the sand sculpture has 6 fingers and in the word INDIA, ‘A’ is not properly aligned i.e not in the same line as other letters. In the second image, the finger of the boy is missing and the sand sculpture has 4 fingers in its front foot and has 3 legs. In the third image the slipper of the boy is not visible whereas some part of the slipper is visible, and in the fourth image the hand of the boy is not looking like a hand. These are some of the major discrepancies clearly visible in the images.
We then checked using an AI Image detection tool named ‘Hive’ image detection, Hive detected the image as 100.0% AI generated.
We then checked it in another AI image detection named ContentAtScale AI image detection, and it found to be 98% AI generated.
From this we concluded that the Image is AI generated and has no connection with the claim made in the viral social media posts. We have also previously debunked AI Generated artwork of sand sculpture of Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli which had the same types of anomalies as those seen in this case.
Conclusion:
Taking into consideration the distortions spotted in the images and the result of AI detection tools, it can be concluded that the claim of the pictures representing the child's sand sculptures of cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is false. The pictures are created with Artificial Intelligence. It is important to check and authenticate the content before posting it to social media websites.
- Claim: The frame of pictures shared on social media contains child's sand sculptures of cricket player Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
- Claimed on: X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
Introduction
The much-awaited DPDP Rules have now finally been released in the official Gazette on 3rd January 2025 for consultation. The draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 (DPDP Rules) invites objections and suggestions from stakeholders that can be submitted on MyGov (https://mygov.in) by 18th February 2025.
DPDP Rules at Glance
- Processing of Children's Data: The draft rules say that ‘A Data Fiduciary shall adopt appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that verifiable consent of the parent is obtained before the processing of any personal data of a child’. It entails that children below 18 will need parents' consent to create social media accounts.
- The identity of the parents and their age can be verified through reliable details of identity and age available with the Data Fiduciary, voluntarily provided identity proof or virtual token mapped to the same. The data fiduciaries are also required to observe due diligence for checking that the individual identifying themselves as the parent is an adult who is identifiable, if required, in connection with compliance with any law for the time being in force in India. Additionally, the government will also extend exemptions from these specific provisions pertaining to processing of children's data to educational institutions, and child welfare organisations.
- Processing of Personal Data Outside India: The draft rules specify that the transfer of personal data outside India, whether it is processed within the country or outside in connection with offering goods or services to individuals in India, is permitted only if the Data Fiduciary complies with the conditions prescribed by the Central Government through general or specific orders.
- Intimation of Personal Data Breach: On becoming aware of a personal data breach, the Data Fiduciary must promptly notify the affected Data Principals in a clear and concise manner through their user account or registered communication method. This notification should include a description of the breach (nature, extent, timing, and location), potential consequences for the Data Principal, measures taken or planned to mitigate risks, recommended safety actions for the Data Principal, and contact information of a representative to address queries. Additionally, the Data Fiduciary must inform the Board without delay, providing details of the breach, its likely impact, and initial findings. Within 72 hours (or a longer period allowed by the Board upon request), the Data Fiduciary must submit updated information, including the facts and circumstances of the breach, mitigation measures, findings about the cause, steps to prevent recurrence, and a report on notifications given to affected Data Principals.
- Data Protection Board: The draft rules propose establishing the Data Protection Board, which will function as a digital office, enabling remote hearings, and will hold powers to investigate breaches, impose penalties, and perform related regulatory functions.
Journey of Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
The foundation for the single statute legislation on Data Protection was laid down in 2017, in the famous ‘Puttaswami judgment,’ which is also well recognised as the Aadhar Card judgment. In this case, ‘privacy’ was recognised as intrinsic to the right to life and personal liberty, guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India, thus making ‘Right to Privacy’ a fundamental right. In the landmark Puttaswamy ruling, the apex court of India stressed the need for a comprehensive data protection law.
Eight years on and several draft bills later, the Union Cabinet approved the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (DPDP) on 5th July 2023. The bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha on 3rd August 2023, and It was passed by Lok Sabha on 7th August, and the bill passed by Rajya Sabha on 9th August and got the president's assent on 11th August 2023; and India finally came up with the ‘Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. This is a significant development that has the potential to bring about major improvements to online privacy and the handling of digital personal data by the platforms.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, is a newly-enacted legislation designed to protect individuals' digital personal data. It aims to ensure compliance by Data Fiduciaries and imposes specific obligations on both Data Principals and Data Fiduciaries. The Act promotes consent-based data collection practices and establishes the Data Protection Board to oversee compliance and address grievances. Additionally, it includes provisions for penalties of up to ₹250 crores in the event of a data breach. However, despite the DPDP Act being passed by parliament last year, the Act has not yet taken effect since its rules and regulations are still not finalised.
Conclusion
It is heartening to see that the Ministry of Electronics and Technology (MeitY) has finally released the draft of the much-awaited DPDP rules for consultation from stakeholders. Though noting certain positive aspects, there is still room for addressing certain gaps and multiple aspects under the draft rules that require attention. The public consultation, including the inputs from the tech platforms, is likely to see critical inputs on multiple aspects under the proposed rules. One such key area of interest will be the requirement of verifiable parental consent, which will likely include recommendations for a balanced approach which maintains children’s safety and mechanisms for the requirement of verifiable consent. The Provisions permitting government access to personal data on grounds of national security are also expected to face scrutiny. The proposed rules, after the consultation process, will be taken into consideration for finalisation after 18th February 2025. The move towards establishing a robust data protection law in India signals a significant step toward enhancing trust and accountability in the digital ecosystem. However, its success will hinge on effective implementation, clear compliance mechanisms, and the adaptability of stakeholders to this evolving regulatory landscape.
References
Introduction
Rapid growth in India’s Digital Economy has opened up various options for companies to utilise digital technology as part of their operations. Examples of these technologies include cloud computing; online payment systems; digitally enabled supply chains; and platforms that facilitate remote working. As small and medium enterprises(SMEs) represent a major part of India’s economy, they have quickly been able to capitalise on the benefits these technologies provide in improving their operational efficiency and developing an increased presence within the market. However, this rapid pace of digitalisation creates an exposure to a much greater breadth of cyber-security threats than ever for SMEs. Today, perhaps the greatest cyber-threat facing SMEs in India is ransomware, an increasing frequent type of cyber-attack that has been increasing on a global scale over the past few years and in response, there have been numerous initiatives by various government agencies, industry organisations, and cyber-security firms designed to educate the general public on the risks of ransomware.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware, which prevents all users being able to access their file system or access their data until they pay a ransom. In a standard ransomware event an attacker will breach the company's network, and encrypt all critical files so that they are unable to be used. The attacker usually demands payment in bitcoin because it is a difficult trace and promises to provide a key to unlock the data in exchange for the payment. Attackers gain access to company networks by using social engineering techniques such as phishing email, stolen password, or exploiting an unpatched vulnerability in the software that is running on the company's network.
The Rising Threat of Ransomware
Cybercriminals have created one of the most destructive varieties of cybercrimes around the world through ransomware; while experts in the cybersecurity field project losses to global ransomware damage may reach $30 billion by 2025. There has also been a marked increase in SMEs being attacked by ransomware-based cybercriminals throughout India. NASSCOM has done research and found that many SMEs in India have experienced attempted ransomware attacks in the past few years alone. According to incident reports provided through CERT-In, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of cybercrime occurrences throughout different sectors of India’s economy since those reports began. These developments have shown an increase in the size and level of sophistication of ransomware related threats.
Why Indian SMEs Remain Vulnerable Despite Awareness
Despite increased awareness about cyber threats, there is a large number of Indian SMEs that continue to be vulnerable to ransomware. The main reason is financial limitations. Many small businesses typically have limited financial resources and those limited resources more often than not, go towards operations, including production, logistics, and marketing - cybersecurity costs are usually viewed as additional costs.
Another significant problem facing SMEs is a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Large enterprises typically have dedicated security teams responsible for protecting the enterprise, whereas SMEs will employ IT staff generally without any specific expertise in detecting/countering cyber threats. Human error are also significant contributors to these cyber incursion events. An employee can inadvertently click on an email link or download an infected attachment, or use a weak password - all of which could provide opportunities for cybercriminals to access the company's network. Phishing emails continue to be the most common approach for initiating ransomware.
Furthermore - many SMEs have implemented digital platforms, such as cloud-based applications and payment processing, without appropriately executing cybersecurity planning prior to implementation. Many of the issues that have arisen from such rapid digitisation are due to a lack of sufficient planned cybersecurity measures as part of the implementation process. This has also resulted in a situation where technological advancements such as Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) have created an even larger pool of potential perpetrators (cybercriminals) with little-to-no expertise being able to launch a widespread ransomware campaign using readily available/pre-manufactured tools.
Real-World Cyber Incidents Affecting Indian SMEs
As several examples recently demonstrate, Indian SMEs continue to experience significant cyber attack risks. Recently, a logistics firm located in Gurugram found itself locked out of nearly 4,000 shipments due to a ransomware attack, which cost them ₹12 lakhs to fix because they had poor backups and another incident in Gurugram which highlights how vulnerable many SMEs in the country continue to be to ransomware attacks. In the case of a garments company, a hacker compromised the company's server by placing ransomware on its system. The company was forced to shut down its computerised warehouse system as a result of the attack. Only after the company had lost access to its system, did it receive a ransom demand from the hacker, in the form of an email requesting payment of 15 bitcoins (approximately ₹25 lakh), in order for the hacker to restore the company's access to the system. The hacker also threatened to delete the company's financial and banking records if the ransom were not paid. Gurgaon Police's Cyber Cell received the report of the incident, and registered a first information report (FIR) against unknown hackers. The case represents an opportunity for SMEs to evaluate the risks associated with ransomware.
Bridging the Gap Between Awareness and Implementation
Although awareness campaigns can show organisations what types of cybersecurity risks they’re exposed to, these campaigns will not keep businesses from being victims of a ransomware attack by themselves.. The most critical step forward is the implementation of the principles of cybersecurity from an understanding viewpoint to that of an active action. Organisations need to go beyond being aware of the risks related to cyber and then put measures in place to mitigate those risks.
To improve cybersecurity, organisations may need to spend money on developing and maintaining systems; set up regular training for employees on handling cyber threats and implementing an incident response plan to address security incidents; back up data regularly; maintain the hardware and software used in the organisation's computer systems at least once a month (or more often if necessary); and monitor all aspects of its computer systems continuously for weaknesses or problems.
The Way Forward: Strengthening SME Cybersecurity
In order to truly address the ransomware threat, collaboration by businesses, government agencies and cyber security professionals is mandatory. One of the biggest roles in this collaboration is through governmental initiatives to enhance the overall level of awareness of digital security among SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises). Improved SME understanding of cyber risks will be based on the availability of affordable security solutions that are specifically tailored for small businesses.
Industry partnerships as well as public-private partnerships also aid the sharing of threat intelligence to strengthen collaborative defense against all cybercriminal activity.
Conclusion
Despite Indian SMEs being aware of cyber threats, they have been unable to implement safeguards or Cyber Security plans due to limited financial resources, insufficient qualified personnel, human errors, and the rapid pace at which digital technology is being adopted without adequate Cyber Security measures. In order to respond effectively to the growing threat of Ransomware, Indian SMEs must evolve from being aware of cyber threats to proactively developing Cyber Security strategies that will allow them to prevent, prepare for, and recover from the increased cyber threat posed by the rapidly growing digitalisation of business within an increasingly globalised economy.
References
- https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ransomware
- https://primeinfoserv.com/indias-sme-cybersecurity-crisis-real-incidents-real-lessons-2024-2025/
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/ransomware-attack-on-apparel-firm-all-data-lost/articleshow/59496777.cms#
- https://ciso.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/cybercrime-fraud/indian-businesses-face-nearly-700-ransomware-attacks-per-day-kaspersky/120471668
- https://smestreet.in/msmenews/indian-smes-remain-alarmingly-exposed-to-ransomware-threats-sophos-report-2025-9456628
- https://m.economictimes.com/news/how-to/how-can-indian-smes-combat-ransomware-attacks/articleshow/108047111.cms
