#FactCheck: False Claim Says All Public Sector Banks Will Remain Closed Every Saturday

‍Transforming Misguided Knowledge into Social Strength

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यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः । तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥ (Bhagavad Gita) translates as “Where there is divine guidance and righteous effort, there will always be prosperity, victory, and morality.”  In the context of the idea of rehabilitation, this verse teaches us that if offenders receive proper guidance, their skills can be redirected. Instead of causing harm, the same abilities can be transformed into tools for protection and social good. Cyber offenders who misuse their skills can, through structured guidance, be redirected toward constructive purposes like cyber defence, digital literacy, and security innovation. This interpretation emphasises not discarding the “spoiled” but reforming and reintegrating them into society.

Introduction

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Words and places are often associated with positive and negative aspects based on their history, stories, and the activities that might happen in that certain place. For example, the word “hacker” has a negative connotation, as does the place “Jamtara”, which is identified with its shady history as a cybercrime hotspot, but often people forget that there are lots of individuals who use their hacking skills to serve and protect their nation, also known as “white hat hackers”, a.k.a. ethical hackers, and places like Jamtara have a substantial number of talented individuals who have lost their way and are often victims of their circumstances. This presents the authorities with a fundamental issue of destigmatising cybercriminals and the need to act on their rehabilitation. The idea is to shift from punitive responses to rehabilitative and preventive approaches, especially in regions like Jamtara. 

The Deeper Problem: Systemic Gaps and Social Context

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Jamtara is not an isolated or a single case; there are many regions like Mewat, Bharatpur, Deoghar, Mathura, etc., that are facing a crisis, and various lives are uprooted because youth are entrapped in cybercrime rings, often to escape unemployment, poverty, and simply in the hope of a better life. In one such heart-wrenching story, a 24-year-old Shakil, belonging to Nuh, Haryana, was arrested for committing various cybercrimes, including sextortion and financial scams, and while his culpability is not in question here, his background reflects a deeper issue. He committed these crimes to pay for his diabetic father’s mounting bills and to see his sister, Shabana, married. This is the story of almost every other individual in the rural areas who is forced into committing these crimes, if not by a person, but by their circumstances. In a news report covered in 2024, an intervention was launched by various Meo leaders and social organisations in the Mewat region aimed at weaning the youth away from cybercrimes.

Not only poverty, but lack of education, social awareness, and digital literacy have acted as active agents for pushing the youth of India away from mainstream growth and towards the dark trenches of the cybercrime world. The local authorities have made active efforts to solve this problem; for instance, to dispel Jamtara’s unfavourable reputation for cybercrime and set the city firmly on the path to change, community libraries have been established in all 118 panchayats spread across six blocks of the district by IAS officer and DM Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz.

The menace of cybercrimes is not limited to rural areas, as various reports surfaced during and post-COVID, where young children from urban areas became victims of various cybercrimes such as cyberbullying and stalking, and often perpetrators were someone from the same age group, adding to the dilemma. The issue has been noticed by various agencies, and the a need to deal with both victims and the accused in a sensitised manner. Recently, ex-CJI DY Chandrachud called for international collaboration to combat juvenile cybercrimes, as there are many who are ensnared and coerced into these criminal gangs, and swift resolution is the key to ensuring justice and rehabilitation.

CyberPeace Policy Outlook 

Cybercrime is often a product of skill without purpose. The youth who are often pushed into these crimes either have an incomplete idea of the veracity of their actions or have no other resort. The legal system and the agencies will have to look beyond the nature of the crimes and adopt and undertake a reformative approach so that these people can make their way into society and harness their skills ethically. A good alternative would be to organise Cyber Bootcamps for Reform, i.e., structured training with placement support, and explain to them how ethical hacking and cybersecurity careers can be attractive alternatives. One way to make the process effective is to share real-world stories of reformed hackers. There are many who belong to small villages and districts who have written success stories on reform after participating in digital training programmes. The crime they commit doesn’t have to be the last thing they are able to do in life; it doesn’t have to be the ending. The digital programmes should be organised in a way and in a vernacular that the youth are well-versed in, so there are no language barriers. The programme may give training for coding, cyber hygiene, legal literacy, ethical hacking, psychological counselling, and financial literacy workshops.

It has become a matter of reclaiming the misdirected talent, as rehabilitation is not just humane; it is strategic in the fight against cybercrime. On 1st April 2025, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation finished training its first batch of law enforcement officers in cybersecurity techniques. The initiative is commendable, and a similar initiative may prove effective for the youth accused of cybercrimes, and preferably, they can be involved in similar rehabilitation and empowerment programmes during the early stages of criminal proceedings. This will help prevent recidivism and convert digital deviance into digital responsibility. In order to successfully incorporate this into law enforcement, the police can effectively use it to identify first-time, non-habitual offenders involved in low-impact cybercrimes. Also, courts can exercise the authority to require participation in an approved cyber-reform programme as a condition of bail in addition to bail hearings. 

Along with this, under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, children in conflict with the law can be sent to observation homes where modules for digital literacy and skill development can be implemented. Other methods that may prove effective may include Restorative Justice Programmes, Court-monitored rehabilitation, etc. 

Conlusion 

A rehabilitative approach does not simply punish offenders, it transforms their knowledge into a force for good, ensuring that cybercrime is not just curtailed but converted into cyber defence and progress.

References

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1.  Ismat Ara, How an impoverished district in Haryana became a breeding ground for cybercriminals, FRONTLINE (Jul 27, 2023, 11:00 IST), https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/spotlight-how-nuh-district-in-haryana-became-a-breeding-ground-for-cybercriminals/article67098193.ece )
2.  Mohammed Iqbal, Counselling, skilling aim to wean Mewat youth away from cybercrimes, THE HINDU (Jul. 28, 2024, 01:39 AM), https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/counselling-skilling-aim-to-wean-mewat-youth-away-from-cybercrimes/article68454985.ece
3. Prawin Kumar Tiwary,Jamtara’s journey from cybercrime to community libraries, 101 REPORTERS (Feb. 16, 2022), https://101reporters.com/article/development/Jamtaras_journey_from_cybercrime_to_community_libraries . 
4. IIT Madras Pravartak completes Training First Batch of Cyber Commandos, PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU (Apr. 1, 2025, 03:36 PM), https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2117256

Introduction

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in September 2023, found that among 1,453  age group of 13-17 year olds projected that the majority of the age group uses TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%) and Instagram (59%) in the U.S. Further, in India the 13-19 year-olds age group makes up 31% of social media users in India, according to a report by Statista from 2021. This has been the leading cause of young users inadvertently or deliberately accessing adult content on social media platforms.  

Brief Analysis of Meta’s Proposed AI Age Classifier 

It can be seen as a step towards safer and moderated content for teen users, by placing age restrictions on teen social media users as sometimes they do not have enough cognitive skills to understand what content can be shared and consumed on these platforms and what can not as per their age. Moreover, there needs to be an understanding of platform policies and they need to understand that nothing can be completely erased from the internet.

Unrestricted access to social media exposes teens to potentially harmful or inappropriate online content, raising concerns about their safety and mental well-being. Meta's recent measures aim to address this, however striking a balance between engagement, protection, and privacy is also an essential part. 

The AI-based Age Classifier proposed by Meta classifies users based on their age and places them in the ‘Teen Account’ category which has built-in limits on who can contact them, the content they see and more ways to connect and explore their interests. According to Meta, teens under 16 years of age will need parental permission to change these settings.

Meta's Proposed Solution: AI-Powered Age Classifier

This tool uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze users’ online behaviours and other profile information to estimate their age. It analyses different factors such as who follows the user, what kind of content they interact with, and even comments like birthday posts from friends. If the classifier detects that a user is likely under 18 years old, it will automatically switch them to a “Teen Account.” These accounts have more restricted privacy settings, such as limiting who can message the user and filtering the type of content they can see. 

The adult classifier is anticipated to be deployed by next year and will start scanning for such users who may have lied about their age. All users found to be under 18 years old will be placed in the category of teen accounts, but 16-17 year olds will be able to adjust these settings if they want more flexibility, while younger teens will need parental permission. The effort is part of a broader strategy to protect teens from potentially harmful content on social media. This is especially important in today’s time as the invasion of privacy for anyone, particularly, can be penalised due to legal instruments like GDPR, DPDP Act, COPPA and many more. 

Policy Implications and Compliances

Meta's AI Age Classifier addresses the growing concerns over teen safety on social media by categorizing users based on age, restricting minors' access to adult content, and enforcing parental controls. However, reliance on behavioural tracking might potentially impact the online privacy of teen users. Hence the approach of Meta needs to be aligned with applicable jurisdictional laws. In India, the recently enacted DPDP Act, of 2023 prohibits behavioural tracking and targeted advertising to children. Accuracy and privacy are the two main concerns that Meta should anticipate when they roll out the classifier.

Meta emphasises transparency to build user trust, and customizable parental controls empower families to manage teens' online experiences. This initiative reflects Meta's commitment to creating a safer, regulated digital space for young users worldwide, it must also align its policies properly with the regional policy and law standards. Meta’s proposed AI Age Classifier aims to protect teens from adult content, reassure parents by allowing them to curate acceptable content, and enhance platform integrity by ensuring a safer environment for teen users on Instagram.

Conclusion 

Meta’s AI Age Classifier while promising to enhance teen safety and putting certain restrictions and parental controls on accounts categorised as ‘teen accounts’, must also properly align with global regulations like GDPR, and the DPDP Act with reference to India. This tool offers reassurance to parents and aims to foster a safer social media environment for teens. To support accurate age estimation and transparency, policy should focus on refining AI methods to minimise errors and ensure clear disclosures about data handling. Collaborative international standards are essential as privacy laws evolve. Meta’s initiative is intended to prioritise youth protection and build public trust in AI-driven moderation across social platforms, while it must also balance the online privacy of users while utilising these advanced tech measures on the platforms. 

References

• https://familycenter.meta.com/in/our-products/instagram/ 
• https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/instagram-will-now-take-help-of-ai-to-check-if-kids-are-lying-about-their-age-on-app-2628464-2024-11-05 
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-04/instagram-plans-to-use-ai-to-catch-teens-lying-about-age
• https://tech.facebook.com/artificial-intelligence/2022/6/adult-classifier/‍
• https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/artificial-intelligence/too-young-to-use-instagram-metas-ai-classifier-could-help-catch-teens-lying-about-their-age-9658555/

Executive Summary:

A viral post on social media shared with misleading captions about a National Highway being built with large bridges over a mountainside in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the investigation of the claim shows that the bridge is from  China. Thus the video is false and misleading.

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  Claim:

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A video circulating of National Highway 14 construction being built on the mountain side in Jammu and Kashmir.  

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Fact Check:

Upon receiving the image, Reverse Image Search was carried out, an image of an under-construction road,  falsely linked to Jammu and Kashmir has been proven inaccurate. After investigating we confirmed the road is from a different location that is G6911 Ankang-Laifeng Expressway in China, highlighting the need to verify information before sharing.

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Conclusion:

The viral claim mentioning under-construction Highway from Jammu and Kashmir is false. The post is actually from China and not J&K. Misinformation like this can mislead the public. Before sharing viral posts, take a brief moment to verify the facts. This highlights the importance of verifying information and relying on credible sources to combat the spread of false claims.

• Claim:  Under-Construction Road Falsely Linked to Jammu and Kashmir
• Claimed On: Instagram and X (Formerly Known As Twitter)
• Fact Check: False and Misleading 

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