#FactCheck- AI-Generated Video Falsely Linked to Iranian Attack on Amazon Data Center in Bahrain

Introduction

‍

The digital communication landscape in India is set to change significantly as the Department of Telecommunications is preparing to implement new rules for messaging apps that operate using SIM cards. This step is part of the government’s effort to tackle cybercrime at its roots by enforcing stricter verification and reducing the number of communication platforms that can be misused. One clear change that users will notice is that WhatsApp Web sessions will now be automatically logged out every six hours, disrupting the previously uninterrupted use across multiple devices. Although this may appear to be a simple inconvenience, the measure is part of a broader plan to address the growing problem of cyber fraud. Cybercriminals exploit messaging apps like WhatsApp without keeping the registered SIM in the device, making it difficult to trace fraud. These efforts are surely gonna address these challenges at the root.

‍

The Incident: What Has Changed?

‍

The new regulations will make it mandatory for messaging platforms to create a direct link between user accounts and verified SIM identities. By this method, every account in the network can be associated with a valid and traceable mobile number. Because of this requirement, it is expected that WhatsApp is going to tighten the management of device sessions. The six-hour logout cycle for WhatsApp Web is implemented to prevent long-lived and unmonitored sessions that are sometimes taken advantage of in account takeovers, device-based breaches, and remote access scams. This change significantly affects the user experience. WhatsApp Web, often used for communication, customer support, and coordination, will now require more frequent authentication through mobile devices. Though mobile access remains uninterrupted, desktop and browser-linked sessions will be subjected to tighter security controls.

‍

Why Identity-Linked Messaging Matters

‍

India is facing a rapidly evolving cybercrime ecosystem in which messaging applications play a central role. Scammers often rely on fake, unverified, or illegally obtained SIM cards to create temporary accounts that can be used for various illegal activities, such as sending phishing messages, impersonating government officials, and deceiving victims through call centres set up for scams.

The new rules take into consideration the following main issues:

1. Anonymity of accounts makes large-scale fraud possible: Criminals operate bulk scams using hundreds of SIM-linked accounts.
2. Freedom to drop identities: Illegal SIMs are discarded after fraud, making it difficult for the police to trace the criminals.
3. Multi-device vulnerabilities that last for a long time: Access without permission to WhatsApp Web sessions that last for a long time is seen as the main reason for OTP theft, account hijacking, and on-device social engineering.

The government wants to disrupt these foundations by enforcing stricter traceability.

‍

A Sector Under Strain: Misuse of Messaging Platforms

‍

Messaging apps have turned out to be the most important thing in India's digital life, from communication to enterprise. This very widespread use of messaging apps has made them an easy target for cybercriminals.

The scams that are frequently visible are:

• WhatsApp groupsare  used for job and loan scams
• False communication from banks, government departments, and payment applications
• Sextortion and blackmail through unverified accounts
• Remote-access fraud with attackers who are watching WhatsApp Web sessions
• Coordinated spread of false information and distribution of deepfake videos

The employment of AI-generated personas and "SIM farms" has made it harder to secure the systems even more. Unless there is a very strict linking of users to authenticated SIM credentials, the platforms might degenerate into uncontrollable rafts of cybercrime.

‍

Government and Regulatory Response

‍

The Department of Telecommunications is initiating a process of stricter compliance measures and cooperating with the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. The main points of the directions include the following:

• Identity verification linked to a SIM is mandatory for the creation of messaging accounts
• Device re-authentication on platforms often starts with WhatsApp Web
• Coordination with the telecom operators to the extent of getting suspicious login patterns
• Protocols for the sharing of data with law enforcement in the course of cybercrime investigations
• Compliance checks of digital platforms to verify adherence to national safety guidelines

This coordinated effort reflects the understanding that the security of communication platforms is the responsibility of both the regulators and the service providers.

‍

The Bigger Picture: Strengthening India’s Digital Trust

‍

The fresh regulations are in step with the worldwide trend where the platforms of messaging have to be more responsible, as governments are demanding more and more from them. The same discussions are going on in the EU, UK, and certain Southeast Asian regions. 

For India, it is imperative to enhance identity management because: 

• The nation has the largest base of messaging users in the whole world
• Cybercrime is increasing at a rate quicker than that of traditional crime 
• Digital government services rely on communications that are secure 
• Identity integrity is the basis for trust in online transactions and digital payments

The six-hour logout policy for WhatsApp Web is a small action, but it is an indication of a bigger transformation towards a regulation that is active rather than just policing that is reactive.

‍

What Needs to Happen Next?

‍

The implementation of SIM-linked regulations must involve several subsequent measures to make them effective.

1. Strengthening Digital Literacy: It is necessary to educate users about the benefits of frequent logouts and security improvements.
2. Ensuring Privacy Protections: The DPDP Act should create a strong barrier against the misuse of personal data in identity-linked messaging that will be implemented.
3. Collaboration with Platforms: Messaging services should seek to secure authentication under the compromise of safety checks.
4. Monitoring SIM fraud at the source: Illicit SIM provisioning enforcement is the main source of criminals, not just changing their methods.
5. Continuous Review and Feedback: Policymaking needs to keep pace with real-life difficulties and new inventions in technology.

‍

Conclusion

‍

India's announcement to impose regulations on messaging apps with SIM linkage is a major step forward in preventing cybercrime from occurring in the first place. Although the immediate effect, like the six-hour logout requirement for WhatsApp Web, may annoy users, it is nevertheless part of a bigger goal: to develop a more secure and trustworthy digital communication environment.

Securing the communication that links millions of people is vital as India becomes more and more digital. Through a combination of regulatory measures, technological protection, and user education, the country is headed toward a time when criminals in the cyber world will find it very difficult to operate and where consumers will be able to interact online with much more confidence and safety.

‍

References

‍

• https://thehackernews.com/2025/12/india-orders-messaging-apps-to-work.html
• https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/whatsapp-web-automatic-log-out-six-hourse-reason-10394142/
• https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/explained-how-will-new-sim-binding-rule-affect-whatsapp-signal-telegram-9728710
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-whatsapp-without-active-sim-centre-issues-new-rules-dot-sim-binding-prevent-cyber-crimes-101764495810135.html

‍

Introduction

Personalised advertisements deploy a mechanism that derives from the collection of the user’s data. Although it allows for a more tailored user experience, one cannot ignore the method through which this is achieved. Recently, as per a report by the Indian Express on 13th November 2024, Meta has come up with a less personalised ad option on Facebook and Instagram for its users in the European Union (EU). This was done due to the incompatibility of their previous ad offer with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). 

Relevant Legislation

In October 2023, Meta came up with a “Pay or Consent” option for their users in the EU. It gave the users two options: either to pay a monthly subscription fee to avail of the ad-free usage variant of Facebook and Instagram, or to give consent to see personalised ads based on the user’s data. This consent model was introduced in their attempts to comply with the EU’s DMA. However, this was found to be incompatible with the said mandate, according to the EU regulators, as they believed that the users should not only have the option to consent to ads but also have access to less personalised but equivalent alternatives. It is this decision that pushed Meta to come up with less personalised ad options for users in the EU. The less-personalised ad option claims to rely on limited data and show ads that are only based on the context of what is being viewed i.e. during a Facebook or Instagram session requiring a minimum set of data points such as location, age, gender, and the user’s engagement with the ads. However, choosing this option also allows for such ads to be less skippable. 

The EU’s Digital Markets Act came into force on November 1, 2022. The purpose was to make the digital marketing sector fairer and in doing so, identify what they consider to be “Gatekeepers” (core platform services such as messenger services, search engines, and app stores) and a list of do’s and don’ts for them. One of them, applicable to the case mentioned above, is the effective consent required by the user in case the gatekeeper decides to target advertisements enabled by tracking the users' activity outside the gatekeeper's core platform services. 

The Indian Context

Although no such issues have been raised in India yet, it is imperative to know that in the Indian context, the DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection) Act 2023 governs personal data regulation. This includes rules for Data Fiduciaries (those who, alone or in partnership with others, determine the means and purpose of processing personal data), the Data Principal (those who give data), Consent Managers, and even rules regarding processing data of children. 

CyberPeace Recommendations:

At the level of the user, one can take steps to ensure limited collection of personal data by following the mentioned steps: 

• Review Privacy Settings- Reviewing Privacy settings for one’s online accounts and devices is a healthy practice to avoid giving unnecessary information to third-party applications.
• Private Browsing- Browsing through private mode or incognito is encouraged, as it prevents websites from tracking your activity and personal data.
• Using Ad-blockers- Certain websites have a user option to block ads when the user first visits their page. Availing of this prevents spam advertisements from the respective websites.
• Using VPN- Using Virtual Private Networks enables users to hide their IP address and their data to be encrypted, preventing third-party actors from tracking the users' online activities
• Other steps include clearing cookies and cache data and using the location-sharing feature with care.

Conclusion

Meta’s compliance with the EU’s DMA signals that social media platforms cannot circumnavigate their way around rules. Balancing the services provided while respecting user privacy is of the utmost importance. The EU has set precedence for a system that respects this and can be used as an example to help set guidelines for how other countries can continue to deal with similar issues and set standards accordingly.

References

• https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/meta-less-personalised-ads-eu-regulatory-demands-9667266/
• https://rainmaker.co.in/blog/view/the-price-of-personalization-how-targeted-advertising-breaches-data-privacy-and-challenges-the-gdprs-shield
• https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/magazine-features/fines-data-protection-violations/
• https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2023/09/01/the-landscape-of-personalized-advertising-efficiency-versus-privacy/
• https://iapp.org/news/a/pay-or-consent-personalized-ads-the-rules-and-whats-next
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/how-to-safeguard-privacy-in-the-era-of-personalised-ads/articleshow/102748711.cms?from=mdr
• https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/facebook-instagram-users-in-europe-can-opt-for-less-personalised-ads-124111201558_1.html
• https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/about-dma_en

‍

A video has been going viral on social media in recent days in which Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief and anchor Arnab Goswami can allegedly be heard using objectionable language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While sharing the video, users are claiming that Arnab Goswami publicly made controversial remarks about the Prime Minister.

An investigation by CyberPeace Foundation found this claim to be completely false. Our probe revealed that the viral video is edited and is being circulated on social media with a misleading narrative. In the original video, Arnab Goswami was not making any personal statement; rather, he was referring to an old statement made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

‍

Viral Claim

‍

An Instagram user posted this video on 5 January 2026. In the video, a voice resembling Arnab Goswami is heard saying, “Ye jo Narendra Modi hain, ye chhe mahine baad ghar se nahi nikal paayenge aur Hindustan ke log inhein danda maarenge.”

(Translation: “This Narendra Modi will not be able to step out of his house after six months, and the people of India will beat him with sticks.”)

‍

The post link, its archive link, and screenshots can be seen below:

‍

• Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTHrO7bk7Rf/?igsh=MThzbzBlcm82eWN0ZA%3D%3D
• Archive link: https://archive.ph/oaYsf

‍

‍

‍

Fact Check

‍

To verify the viral claim, we first examined the video using Google Lens search. During this process, we found a video published on 18 July 2024 on the official YouTube channel of Republic Bharat. The investigation revealed that this video is the longer (extended) version of the viral clip.

After carefully watching the full video, it became clear that Arnab Goswami was not making the statement himself. Instead, he was referring to a remark made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This confirms that the viral video was clipped and presented out of context.

The related video link can be seen below: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KlQV25-3l8s

‍

‍

‍

In the next step of the investigation, to verify whether Rahul Gandhi had indeed made such a statement, we conducted a customized keyword search on Google. During this, we found a video published on 6 February 2020 on the official YouTube channel of India Today.

In this video, recorded during a public event ahead of the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi is seen sharply attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that if the Prime Minister fails to resolve the issue of unemployment in the country, the youth would beat him with sticks.

‍

The video link is given below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5qCSA5nG9Y

‍

‍

‍

Conclusion

‍

The CyberPeace Foundation’s investigation found this claim to be completely fake. The viral video is edited and is being shared in a misleading context. In the original video, Arnab Goswami was referring to an old statement made by Rahul Gandhi, which was selectively clipped and presented in a way that falsely suggests Arnab Goswami himself made objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

‍