#FactCheck -Ravi Kishan’s Viral Postcard Claim Debunked; Original Navbharat Times Post Shows Different Statement
Executive Summary
A social media post featuring a graphic attributed to Navbharat Times and BJP MP Ravi Kishan is being widely circulated. The post falsely claims that Ravi Kishan made a controversial statement saying, “Narendra Modi should be ashamed, Meloni is of his granddaughter’s age.” CyberPeace Research Wing investigation found that the claim is false. In the original Navbharat Times postcard, Ravi Kishan is seen saying that people should stop criticising the Prime Minister, otherwise they may have to face consequences.
Claim
An X (formerly Twitter) user named “Prem Jai Moolnivasi Paswan” shared the viral post and alleged that Ravi Kishan made objectionable remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- https://www.facebook.com/premjaymulnivasi.paswan/posts/pfbid02Drv387K2ugesnP9vvbJXgqU7yTZkrUhVAB5y9euzHuxpigWa8uDEnu3E2T6oox8Wl?rdid=4VbtbVi1G8bgo12d
- https://archive.ph/NHBXP
Fact Check
During the investigation, we searched for the alleged statement using relevant keywords but found no credible reports or evidence supporting the claim. We then examined Navbharat Times’ official social media handles. A similar-looking but authentic postcard was found on the official Facebook page of Navbharat Times (Uttar Pradesh) dated May 18, 2026.
The original post quoted Ravi Kishan differently, stating that criticism of the Prime Minister should be avoided, or else consequences may follow. Nowhere in the authentic post is the viral controversial remark mentioned.
Further investigation revealed that Navbharat Times itself issued a clarification on its official X handle, stating that the viral post is fake and that legal action would be taken against misuse of its name.
Conclusion
The viral claim is false. The authentic Navbharat Times postcard shows Ravi Kishan saying that criticism of the Prime Minister should be stopped, or there would be consequences. The viral graphic has been altered to spread misinformation.
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Introduction
Misinformation spreads faster than a pimple before your best friend's wedding, and these viral skincare hacks on social media can do more harm than good if smeared on without a second thought. The unverified skin care tips, exaggerated results, and product endorsements lacking proper dermatological backing can often lead to breakouts and serious damage.
The Allure and Risks of Online Skincare Trends
In the age of social media, beauty advice is easily accessible, but not all trending skincare hacks are beneficial. Influencers lacking professional dermatological knowledge often endorse "medical grade" skincare products, which may not be suitable for all skin types. The viral DIY skincare hacks, such as natural remedies like multani mitti (Fuller's earth), have found a new audience online. However, suppose such skincare tips are approached without due care and caution regarding their suitability for different skin types, or without the proper formulation of ingredients. In that case, they can result in skin problems. It is crucial to approach online skincare advice with a critical eye, as not all trends are backed by scientific research.
CyberPeace Recommendations
- Influencer Responsibility and Ethical Endorsements in Skincare
Influencers play a crucial role in shaping public perception in the skincare and lifestyle industries. However, they must exercise due diligence before endorsing skincare products or practices, as misinformation can lead to financial loss and health consequences. Influencers should only promote products they have personally tested or vetted by dermatologists or skincare professionals. They should also research the brand's credibility, check ingredients for safety, and understand the product's target audience.
- Strengthening Digital Literacy in Skincare Spaces
CyberPeace highlights that improving digital literacy is one of the best strategies to stop the spread of false information about skincare. Users nowadays, particularly young people, are continuously exposed to a deluge of wellness and beauty-related content. Many people are duped by overstated claims, pseudoscientific cures, and influencer-driven marketing masquerading as sound advice if they lack the necessary digital literacy. We recommend supporting digital literacy initiatives that teach users how to evaluate sources, think critically, and comprehend how algorithms promote content. Long-term impact is thought to be achieved through influencer partnerships, gamified learning modules, and community workshops that promote media literacy.
- Recommendation for Users to Prioritise Research and Critical Thinking
Users should prioritise research and critical thinking when engaging with skincare content online. It's crucial to distinguish between valid advice and misinformation. Thorough research, including expert reviews, ingredient checks, and scientific sources, is essential. Questioning endorsements and relying on trusted platforms and dermatologists can help ensure a skincare routine based on sound practices.
- Mandating Transparency from Influencers and Brands
Enforcing stronger transparency laws for influencers and skincare companies is a key suggestion. Social media influencers frequently neglect to reveal sponsored collaborations or paid advertisements, giving followers the impression that the skincare advice is based on the creators' own experience and objective judgment. This dishonest practice frequently promotes goods with little to no scientific support and feeds false information. The social media companies need to be proactive in identifying and removing content that violates disclosure and advertising guidelines.
- Creating a Verified Registry for Skincare Professionals
Increasing the voices of real experts is one of the most important strategies to build credibility and trust online. The establishment of a publicly available, validated registry of certified dermatologists, cosmetologists, and skincare scientists is suggested by cybersecurity experts and medical professionals. These experts could then receive a "verified expert" badge from social media companies, making it easier for users to discern between content created by unqualified people and genuine, evidence-based advice. Algorithms that promote such verified content would inevitably limit the dissemination of false information.
- Enforcing Platform Accountability and Reporting System
There needs to be platform-level accountability and safeguard mechanisms in case of any false information about skincare. Platforms should monitor repeat offenders and implement a tiered penalty system that includes content removal and temporary or permanent bans on such malicious user profiles.
References
Introduction
Google’s search engine is widely known for its ability to tailor its search results based on user activity, enhancing the relevance of search outcomes. Recently, Google introduced the ‘Try Without Personalisation’ feature. This feature allows users to view results independent of their prior activity. This change marks a significant shift in platform experiences, offering users more control over their search experience while addressing privacy concerns.
However, even in this non-personalised mode, certain contextual factors including location, language, and device type, continue to influence results. This essentially provides the search with a baseline level of relevance. This feature carries significant policy implications, particularly in the areas of privacy, consumer rights, and market competition.
Understanding the Feature
When users engage with this option of non-personalised search, it will no longer show them helpful individual results that are personalisation-dependent and will instead provide unbiased search results. Essentially,this feature provides users with neutral (non-personalised) search results by bypassing their data.
This feature allows the following changes:
- Disables the user’s ability to find past searches in Autofill/Autocomplete.
- Does not pause or delete stored activity within a user’s Google account. Users, because of this feature, will be able to pause or delete stored activity through data and privacy controls.
- The feature doesn't delete or disable app/website preferences like language or search settings are some of the unaffected preferences.
- It also does not disable or delete the material that users save.
- When a user is signed in, they can ‘turn off the personalisation’ by clicking on the search option at the end of the webpage. These changes, offered by the feature, in functionality, have significant implications for privacy, competition, and user trust.
Policy Implications: An Analysis
This feature aligns with global privacy frameworks such as the GDPR in the EU and the DPDP Act in India. By adhering to principles like data minimisation and user consent, it offers users control over their data and the choice to enable or disable personalisation, thereby enhancing user autonomy and trust.
However, there is a trade-off between user expectations for relevance and the impartiality of non-personalised results. Additionally, the introduction of such features may align with emerging regulations on data usage, transparency, and consent. Policymakers play a crucial role in encouraging innovations like these while ensuring they safeguard user rights and maintain a competitive market.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
Google's 'Try Without Personalisation' feature represents a pivotal moment for innovation by balancing user privacy with search functionality. By aligning with global privacy frameworks such as the GDPR and the DPDP Act, it empowers users to control their data while navigating the complex interplay between relevance and neutrality. However, its success hinges on overcoming technical hurdles, fostering user understanding, and addressing competitive and regulatory scrutiny. As digital platforms increasingly prioritise transparency, such features could redefine user expectations and regulatory standards in the evolving tech ecosystem.
References
India is the world's largest democracy, and conducting free and fair elections is a mammoth task shouldered by the Election Commission of India. But technology is transforming every aspect of the electoral process in the digital age, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) being integrated into campaigns, voter engagement, and election monitoring. In the upcoming Bihar elections of 2025, all eyes are on how the use of AI will influence the state polls and the precedent it will set for future elections.
Opportunities: Harnessing AI for Better Elections
Breaking Language Barriers with AI:
AI is reshaping political outreach by making speeches accessible in multiple languages. At the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in 2024, the PM’s Hindi address was AI-dubbed in Tamil in real time. Since then, several speeches have been rolled out in eight languages, ensuring inclusivity and connecting with voters beyond Hindi-speaking regions more effectively.
Monitoring and Transparency
During Bihar’s Panchayat polls, the State Election Commission used Staqu’s JARVIS, an AI-powered system that connects with CCTV cameras to monitor EVM screens in real time. By reducing human error, JARVIS brought greater accuracy, speed, and trust to the counting process.
AI for Information Access on Public Service Delivery
NaMo AI is a multilingual chatbot that citizens can use to inquire about the details of public services. The feature aims to make government schemes easy to understand, transparent, and help voters connect directly with the policies of the government.
Personalised Campaigning
AI is transforming how campaigns connect with voters. By analysing demographics and social media activity, AI builds detailed voter profiles. This helps craft messages that feel personal, whether on WhatsApp, a robocall, or a social media post, ensuring each group hears what matters most to them. This aims to make political outreach sharper and more effective.
Challenges: The Dark Side of AI in Elections
Deepfakes and Disinformation
AI-powered deepfakes create hyper-realistic videos and audio that are nearly impossible to distinguish from the real. In elections, they can distort public perception, damage reputations, or fuel disharmony on social media. There is a need for mandatory disclaimers stating when content is AI-generated, to ensure transparency and protect voters from manipulative misinformation.
Data Privacy and Behavioural Manipulation
Cambridge Analytica’s consulting services, provided by harvesting the data of millions of users from Facebook without their consent, revealed how personal data can be weaponised in politics. This data was allegedly used to “microtarget” users through ads, which could influence their political opinions. Data mining of this nature can be supercharged through AI models, jeopardising user privacy, trust, safety, and casting a shadow on democratic processes worldwide.
Algorithmic Bias
AI systems are trained on datasets. If the datasets contain biases, AI-driven tools could unintentionally reinforce stereotypes or favor certain groups, leading to unfair outcomes in campaigning or voter engagement.
The Road Ahead: Striking a Balance
The adoption of AI in elections opens a Pandora's box of uncertainties. On the one hand, it offers solutions for breaking language barriers and promoting inclusivity. On the other hand, it opens the door to manipulation and privacy violations.
To counter risks from deepfakes and synthetic content, political parties are now advised to clearly label AI-generated materials and add disclaimers in their campaign messaging. In Delhi, a nodal officer has even been appointed to monitor social media misuse, including the circulation of deepfake videos during elections. The Election Commission of India constantly has to keep up with trends and tactics used by political parties to ensure that elections remain free and fair.
Conclusion
With Bihar’s pioneering experiments with JARVIS in Panchayat elections to give vote counting more accuracy and speed, India is witnessing both sides of this technological revolution. The challenge lies in ensuring that AI strengthens democracy rather than undermining it. Deepfakes algorithms, bias, and data misuse remind us of the risk of when technology oversteps. The real challenge is to strike the right balance in embracing AI for elections to enhance inclusivity and transparency, while safeguarding trust, privacy, and the integrity of democratic processes.
References
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-ai-is-rewriting-the-rules-of-election-campaign-in-india/articleshow/120848499.cms#
- https://m.economictimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/india/2024-polls-stand-out-for-use-of-ai-to-bridge-language-barriers/articleshow/108737700.cms
- https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/namo-ai-on-namo-app-a-unique-chatbot-that-will-answer-everything-on-pm-modi-govt-schemes-achievements-5426028
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/staqu-deploys-jarvis-to-facilitate-automated-vote-counting-for-bihar-panchayat-polls/articleshow/87307475.cms
- https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/deepfakes-in-elections-challenges-and-mitigation
- https://internetpolicy.mit.edu/blog-2018-fb-cambridgeanalytica/
- https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/delhi/delhi-assembly-elections-2025-use-ai-transparently-eci-issues-guidelines-for-political-parties-3357978#
