#FactCheck: Edited Broadcast Misused to Spread False Assam Political Rift Claim
Executive Summary:
A video from an India TV news show related to the Assam elections is going viral on social media. In the clip, anchor Meenakshi Joshi is allegedly seen claiming that there is a rift between the BJP and the RSS in Assam. The video further suggests that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that former Congress members have taken over the BJP, and that RSS volunteers would not work for the party in Assam. However, a research by the CyberPeace found that the viral video is edited and misleading. The original video contains no such claims.
Claim:
A social media user Ajit Singh shared the video on X with the caption:“The core idea of today’s BJP is to capture power by any means. We have been saying this for long, and now even RSS has accepted that BJP in Assam has been taken over by Congress mindset.”
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we searched relevant keywords about the alleged letter by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, we found no credible media reports supporting this claim. We then checked the YouTube channel of India TV but could not find the viral clip there. During the search, we did find a similar video from Meenakshi Joshi’s show. In the beginning of that video, the portion seen in the viral clip appears.
In the original video, the anchor is discussing the announcement of election dates in five states. There is no mention of any rift between the BJP and RSS in Assam.
Conclusion:
The viral India TV video claiming a rift between the BJP and RSS in Assam is edited and misleading. The original broadcast was about election dates in five states and did not include any such claims.
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Introduction
Deepfake have become a source of worry in an age of advanced technology, particularly when they include the manipulation of public personalities for deceitful reasons. A deepfake video of cricket star Sachin Tendulkar advertising a gaming app recently went popular on social media, causing the sports figure to deliver a warning against the widespread misuse of technology.
Scenario of Deepfake
Sachin Tendulkar appeared in the deepfake video supporting a game app called Skyward Aviator Quest. The app's startling quality has caused some viewers to assume that the cricket legend is truly supporting it. Tendulkar, on the other hand, has resorted to social media to emphasise that these videos are phony, highlighting the troubling trend of technology being abused for deceitful ends.
Tendulkar's Reaction
Sachin Tendulkar expressed his worry about the exploitation of technology and advised people to report such videos, advertising, and applications that spread disinformation. This event emphasises the importance of raising knowledge and vigilance about the legitimacy of material circulated on social media platforms.
The Warning Signs
The deepfake video raises questions not just for its lifelike representation of Tendulkar, but also for the material it advocates. Endorsing gaming software that purports to help individuals make money is a significant red flag, especially when such endorsements come from well-known figures. This underscores the possibility of deepfakes being utilised for financial benefit, as well as the significance of examining information that appears to be too good to be true.
How to Protect Yourself Against Deepfakes
As deepfake technology advances, it is critical to be aware of potential signals of manipulation. Here are some pointers to help you spot deepfake videos:
- Look for artificial facial movements and expressions, as well as lip sync difficulties.
- Body motions and Posture: Take note of any uncomfortable body motions or discrepancies in the individual's posture.
- Lip Sync and Audio Quality: Look for mismatches between the audio and lip motions.
- background and Content: Consider the video's background, especially if it has a popular figure supporting something in an unexpected way.
- Verify the legitimacy of the video by verifying the official channels or accounts of the prominent person.
Conclusion
The popularity of deepfake videos endangers the legitimacy of social media material. Sachin Tendulkar's response to the deepfake in which he appears serves as a warning to consumers to remain careful and report questionable material. As technology advances, it is critical that individuals and authorities collaborate to counteract the exploitation of AI-generated material and safeguard the integrity of online information.
Reference
- https://www.news18.com/tech/sachin-tendulkar-disturbed-by-his-new-deepfake-video-wants-swift-action-8740846.html
- https://www.livemint.com/news/india/sachin-tendulkar-becomes-latest-victim-of-deepfake-video-disturbing-to-see-11705308366864.html
Executive Summary
The ongoing conflict between the US-Israel and Iran has entered its third week. During this period, Iran reportedly targeted the US military base at Al Udeid in Qatar. Amid this, a video is going viral on social media showing people, vehicles, and chaos following an alleged attack. Some users are sharing it as footage of an Iranian missile strike on the Al Udeid Air Base. However, an research by the CyberPeacefound that the viral video is not real but AI-generated.
Claim:
An Instagram user “thenewscartel” shared the video on March 17, 2026, with the caption: “Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (March 16, 2026): Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at the US military’s largest Middle East base near Doha as retaliation for US-Israel strikes in Tehran. Qatar’s Defense Ministry confirmed multiple launches. Most were intercepted by Qatari air defense. One missile landed near the base or in an uninhabited area. No casualties or major damage reported. Explosions were heard in Doha, and smoke was seen in the sky.”
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we closely examined the viral video. We observed multiple visual inconsistencies—one person appears to be walking in reverse, another disappears and reappears, and the body shapes of people distort as they begin to run. These anomalies strongly indicate AI manipulation. We then analyzed the video using the AI detection tool Zhuque AI, which indicated an approximately 80 percent likelihood that the video is AI-generated.
Further analysis using Hive Moderation showed around a 57 percent probability of the video being AI-generated.
Conclusion:
Our research found that the viral video being shared as footage of an Iranian attack on the US military base at Al Udeid in Qatar is AI-generated and not related to any real incident.
Overview:
It is worth stating that millions of Windows users around the world are facing the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) problem that makes systems shutdown or restart. This has been attributed to a CrowdStrike update that was released recently and has impacted many organizations, financial institutions, and government agencies across the globe. Indian airlines have also reported disruptions on X (formerly Twitter), informing passengers about the issue.
Understanding Blue Screen of Death:
Blue Screen errors, also known as black screen errors or STOP code errors, can occur due to critical issues forcing Windows to shut down or restart. You may encounter messages like "Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer." These errors can be caused by hardware or software problems.
Impact on Industries
Some of the large U. S. airlines such as American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines had to issue ground stops because of communication problems. Also, several airports on Friday suffered a massive technical issue in check-in kiosks for IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Air India Express.
The Widespread Issue
The issue seems widespread and is causing disruption across the board as Windows PCs are deployed at workplaces and other public entities like airlines, banks, and even media companies. It has been pointed out that Windows PCs use a special cybersecurity solution from a company called CrowdStrike that seems to be the culprit for this outage, affecting most Windows PC users out there.
Microsoft's Response
The issue was acknowledged by Microsoft and the mitigations are underway. The company in its verified X handle Microsoft 365 status has shared a series information on the latest outage and they are looking into the matter. The issue is under investigation.
In one of the posts from Microsoft Azure, it is mentioned that they have become aware of an issue affecting Virtual Machines (VMs) running Windows Client and Windows Server with the CrowdStrike Falcon agent installed. These VMs may encounter a bug check (BSOD) and become stuck in a restarting state. Their analysis indicates that this issue started approximately at 19:00 UTC on July 18th. They have provided recommendations as follows:
Restore from Backup: In case customers have available backups prior to 19:00 UTC on July 18th, they should recover VM data from the backups. If the customer is using Azure Backup, they can get exact steps on how to restore VM data in the Azure portal. here.
Offline OS Disk Repair: Alternatively, customers can attempt offline repair of the OS disk by attaching an unmanaged disk to the affected VM. Encrypted disks may require additional steps to unlock before repair. Once attached, delete the following file:
Windows/System/System32/Drivers/CrowdStrike/C00000291*.sys
After deletion, reattach the disk to the original VM.
Microsoft Azure is actively investigating additional mitigation options for affected customers. We will provide updates as we gather more information.
Resolving Blue Screen Errors in Windows
Windows 11 & Windows 10:
Blue Screen errors can stem from both hardware and software issues. If new hardware was added before the error, try removing it and restarting your PC. If restarting is difficult, start your PC in Safe Mode.
To Start in Safe Mode:
From Settings:
Open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
Under "Advanced startup," select Restart now.
After your PC restarts to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
After your PC restarts, you'll see a list of options. Select 4 or press F4 to start in Safe Mode. If you need to use the internet, select 5 or press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
From the Sign-in Screen:
Restart your PC. When you get to the sign-in screen, hold the Shift key down while you select Power > Restart.
After your PC restarts, follow the steps above.
From a Black or Blank Screen:
Press the power button to turn off your device, then turn it back on. Repeat this two more times.
After the third time, your device will start in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
From the Choose an option screen, follow the steps to enter Safe Mode.
Additional Help:
Windows Update: Ensure your system has the latest patches.
Blue Screen Troubleshooter: In Windows, open Get Help, type Troubleshoot BSOD error, and follow the guided walkthrough.
Online Troubleshooting: Visit Microsoft's support page and follow the recommendations under "Recommended Help."
If none of those steps help to resolve your Blue Screen error, please try the Blue Screen Troubleshooter in the Get Help app:
- In Windows, open Get Help.
- In the Get Help app, type Troubleshoot BSOD error.
- Follow the guided walkthrough in the Get Help app.
[Note: If you're not on a Windows device, you can run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter on your browser by going to Contact Microsoft Support and typing Troubleshoot BSOD error. Then follow the guided walkthrough under "Recommended Help."]
For detailed steps and further assistance, please refer to the Microsoft support portal or contact their support team.
CrowdStrike’s Response:
In the statement given by CrowdStrike, they have clearly mentioned it is not any cyberattack and their resources are working to fix the issue on Windows. Further, they have identified the deployment issue and fixed the same. Crowdstrike mentions about their problematic versions as follows:
- “Channel file "C-00000291*.sys" with timestamp of 0527 UTC or later is the reverted (good) version.
- Channel file "C-00000291*.sys" with timestamp of 0409 UTC is the problematic version.
Note: It is normal for multiple "C-00000291*.sys files to be present in the CrowdStrike directory - as long as one of the files in the folder has a timestamp of 0527 UTC or later, that will be the active content.”
The CrowdStrike will be providing latest updates on the same and advises their customers and organizations to contact their officials officially to get latest updates and accurate information. It is encouraged to refer to customer’s support portal for further help.
Stay safe and ensure regular backups to mitigate the impact of such issues.
References:
https://status.cloud.microsoft/
https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/statement-on-falcon-content-update-for-windows-hosts/
