#FactCheck: False Claims of Fireworks in Dubai International Stadium celebrating India’s Champions Trophy Victory 2025

Introduction

As India moves full steam ahead towards a trillion-dollar digital economy, how user data is gathered, processed and safeguarded is under the spotlight. One of the most pervasive but least known technologies used to gather user data is the cookie. Cookies are inserted into every website and application to improve functionality, measure usage and customize content. But they also present enormous privacy threats, particularly when used without explicit user approval. 

In 2023, India passed the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) to give strong legal protection to data privacy. Though the act does not refer to cookies by name, its language leaves no doubt as to the inclusion of any technology that gathers or processes personal information and thus cookies regulation is at the centre of digital compliance in India. This blog covers what cookies are, how international legislation, such as the GDPR, has addressed them and how India's DPDP will regulate their use.

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What Are Cookies and Why Do They Matter?

Cookies are simply small pieces of data that a website stores in the browser. They were originally designed to help websites remember useful information about users, such as your login session or what is in your shopping cart. Netscape initially built them in 1994 to make web surfing more efficient. 

Cookies exist in various types. Session cookies are volatile and are deleted when the browser is shut down, whereas persistent cookies are stored on the device to monitor users over a period of time. First-party cookies are made by the site one is visiting, while third-party cookies are from other domains, usually utilised for advertisements or analytics. Special cookies, such as secure cookies, zombie cookies and tracking cookies, differ in intent and danger. They gather information such as IP addresses, device IDs and browsing history information associated with a person, thus making it personal data per the majority of data protection regulations.

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A Brief Overview of the GDPR and Cookie Policy

The GDPR regulates how personal data can be processed in general. However, if a cookie collects personal data (like IP addresses or identifiers that can track a person), then GDPR applies as well, because it sets the rules on how that personal data may be processed, what lawful bases are required, and what rights the user has.

The ePrivacy Directive (also called the “Cookie Law”) specifically regulates how cookies and similar technologies can be used. Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive says that storing or accessing information (such as cookies) on a user’s device requires prior, informed consent, unless the cookie is strictly necessary for providing the service requested by the user.

In the seminal Planet49 decision, the Court of Justice of the European Union held that pre-ticked boxes do not represent valid consent. Another prominent enforcement saw Amazon fined €35 million by France's CNIL for using tracking cookies without user consent.

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Cookies and India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP), 2023

India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 does not refer to cookies specifically but its provisions necessarily come into play when cookies harvest personal data like user activity, IP addresses, or device data. According to DPDP, personal data is to be processed for legitimate purposes with the individual's consent. The consent has to be free, informed, clear and unambiguous. The individuals have to be informed of what data is collected, how it will be processed.. The Act also forbids behavioural monitoring and targeted advertising in the case of children.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT released the Business Requirements Document for Consent Management Systems (BRDCMS) in June 2025. Although it is not binding by law, it provides operational advice on cookie consent. It recommends that websites use cookie banners with "Accept," "Reject," and "Customize" choices. Users must be able to withdraw or change their consent at any moment. Multi-language handling and automatic expiry of cookie preferences are also suggested to suit accessibility and privacy requirements.

The DPDP Act and the BRDCMS together create a robust user-rights model, even in the absence of a special cookie law.

What Should Indian Websites Do?

For the purposes of staying compliant, Indian websites and online platforms need to act promptly to harmonise their use of cookies with DPDP principles. This begins with a transparent and simple cookie banner providing users with an opportunity to accept or decline non-essential cookies. Consent needs to be meaningful; coercive tactics such as cookie walls must not be employed. Websites need to classify cookies (e.g., necessary, analytics and ads) and describe each category's function in plain terms under the privacy policy. Users must be given the option to modify cookie settings anytime using a Consent Management Platform (CMP). Monitoring children or their behavioural information must be strictly off-limits.

These are not only about being compliant with the law, they're about adhering to ethical data stewardship and user trust building.

What Should Users Do?

Cookies need to be understood and controlled by users to maintain online personal privacy. Begin by reading cookie notices thoroughly and declining unnecessary cookies, particularly those associated with tracking or advertising. The majority of browsers today support blocking third-party cookies altogether or deleting them periodically.

It is also recommended to check and modify privacy settings on websites and mobile applications. It is possible to minimise surveillance with the use of browser add-ons such as ad blockers or privacy extensions. Users are also recommended not to blindly accept "accept all" in cookie notices and instead choose "customise" or "reject" where not necessary for their use.

Finally, keeping abreast of data rights under Indian law, such as the right to withdraw consent or to have data deleted, will enable people to reclaim control over their online presence.

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Conclusion

Cookies are a fundamental component of the modern web, but they raise significant concerns about individual privacy. India's DPDP Act, 2023, though not explicitly referring to cookies, contains an effective legal framework that regulates any data collection activity involving personal data, including those facilitated by cookies.

As India continues to make progress towards comprehensive rulemaking and regulation, companies need to implement privacy-first practices today. And so must the users, in an active role in their own digital lives. Collectively, compliance, transparency and awareness can build a more secure and ethical internet ecosystem where privacy is prioritised by design.

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References

• https://prsindia.org/billtrack/digital-personal-data-protection-bill-2023
• https://gdpr-info.eu/
• https://d38ibwa0xdgwxx.cloudfront.net/create-edition/7c2e2271-6ddd-4161-a46c-c53b8609c09d.pdf
• https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa
• https://www.barandbench.com/columns/cookie-management-under-the-digital-personal-data-protection-act-2023#:~:text=The%20Business%20Requirements%20Document%20for,the%20DPDP%20Act%20and%20Rules.
• https://samistilegal.in/cookies-meaning-legal-regulations-and-implications/#
• https://secureprivacy.ai/blog/india-digital-personal-data-protection-act-dpdpa-cookie-consent-requirements
• https://law.asia/cookie-use-india/‍
• https://www.cookielawinfo.com/major-gdpr-fines-2020-2021/#:~:text=4.,French%20websites%20could%20refuse%20cookies.

Executive Summary:

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Social media has been overwhelmed by a viral post that claims Indian Railways is beginning to install solar panels directly on railway tracks all over the country for renewable energy purposes. The claim also purports that India will become the world's first country to undertake such a green effort in railway systems. Our research involved extensive reverse image searching, keyword analysis, government website searches, and global media verification. We found the claim to be completely false. The viral photos and information are all incorrectly credited to India. The images are actually from a pilot project by a Swiss start-up called Sun-Ways.

Claim:

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According to a viral post on social media, Indian Railways has started an all-India initiative to install solar panels directly on railway tracks to generate renewable energy, limit power expenses, and make global history in environmentally sustainable rail operations.

Fact check:

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We did a reverse image search of the viral image and were soon directed to international media and technology blogs referencing a project named Sun-Ways, based in Switzerland. The images circulated on Indian social media were the exact ones from the Sun-Ways pilot project, whereby a removable system of solar panels is being installed between railway tracks in Switzerland to evaluate the possibility of generating energy from rail infrastructure.

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We also thoroughly searched all the official Indian Railways websites, the Ministry of Railways news article, and credible Indian media. At no point did we locate anything mentioning Indian Railways engaging or planning something similar by installing solar panels on railway tracks themselves.

Indian Railways has been engaged in green energy initiatives beyond just solar panel installation on program rooftops, and also on railway land alongside tracks and on train coach roofs. However, Indian Railways have never installed solar panels on railway tracks in India. Meanwhile, we found a report of solar panel installations on the train launched on 14th July 2025, first solar-powered DEMU (diesel electrical multiple unit) train from the Safdarjung railway station in Delhi. The train will run from Sarai Rohilla in Delhi to Farukh Nagar in Haryana. A total of 16 solar panels, each producing 300 Wp, are fitted in six coaches. 

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We also found multiple links to support our claim from various media links: Euro News, World Economy Forum, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, and  NDTV.   

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Conclusion:

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After extensive research conducted through several phases including examining facts and some technical facts, we can conclude that the claim that Indian Railways has installed solar panels on railway tracks is false. The concept and images originate from Sun-Ways, a Swiss company that was testing this concept in Switzerland, not India. 

Indian Railways continues to use renewable energy in a number of forms but has not put any solar panels on railway tracks. We want to highlight how important it is to fact-check viral content and other unverified content.

• Claim: India’s solar track project will help Indian Railways run entirely on renewable energy.‍
• Claimed On: Social Media‍
• Fact Check: False and Misleading

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Introduction

The debate between free speech and social responsibility is one of the oldest, long-running debates in history. Free speech is considered to be at the heart of every democracy. It is considered the “mother” of all other freedoms, enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution under Part III: Fundamental Rights. It takes various shapes and forms according to the sociopolitical context of society. Evelyn Beatrice Hall, a prominent English writer of the 19th century, laid the foundation of every democracy when she wrote in her book, "I disapprove of what you say, but I willdefend to the death your right to say it." The drastic misuse of social media to disseminate propaganda and fakenews makes it a marketplace of half-baked truth, becoming the antithesis ofwhat early philosophers dreamed of for a democratic modern age. Losethe ethics, and there you have it, the modern conceptualisation of freedom ofspeech and expression in the digital age. The right to freedom of speech andexpression is one of the most fundamental rights, but its exercise is notunfettered, and certain limits are placed upon this right under Art. 19 (2).Every right comes with a corresponding duty, and the exercise of such freedomalso puts the citizenry under the responsibility not to violate the rights ofothers and not to use the media to demean any other person.

SocialMedia: The New Public Square or a Weaponised Echo Chamber

InIndia, Art. 19(1)(a) of the constitution guarantees the right to freedom ofspeech and expression, but it is not absolute. Under Art. 19(2), this right issubject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, decency,morality, and national security. This is construed as a freedom for everyindividual to freely express their opinions, but not to incite violence, spreadfalsehoods, or harm others’ dignity. Unfortunately, the boundaries betweenthese are increasingly blurred.

Thedissemination of unfiltered media and the strangulation of innocence by pushingoften vulgar and obscene content down the throats of individuals, withoutverifying the age and gender profile of the social media user, is a big farcein the name of free speech and a conscious attempt by the intermediaries andsocial media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Threads, etc., to wriggleout of their responsibility. A prime example is when Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, on7th January 2025, gave a statement asserting less intervention into what peoplefind on its social media platforms as the new “best practice”. While lessinterference would have worked in a generation that merely operated on thediffering, dissenting, and raw ideas bred by the minds of differentindividuals, it is not the case for this day and age. There has been asignificant rise in cases where social media platforms have been used as abattleground for disputes, spreading communal violence, misinformation, anddisinformation.

Thereis no debate about the fact that social media platforms have fostered a globalexpression, making the world a global village, bringing everyone together. Onthe other hand, the platforms have become the epicentre of computer-basedcrimes, where children and teenagers often become prey to these crimes,cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.  

Rising Importance of Platform Accountability

Themost pertinent question that is to be asked with a conscious mind is whether anunregulated media is a reflection of Freedom of Speech, a right given to us byour constitution under Article. 19(1)(a), or whether free speech is just a garbby big stakeholders, and we are all victims of an impending infodemic andvictims of AI algorithms, because, as per the reports that surfaced during theCovid-19 pandemic, India saw a dramatic 214% rise in false information. Anotherreport by the UNESCO-Ipsos survey revealed that 85% of Indian respondentsencounter online hate speech, with around 64% pointing to social media as aprimary source.

While the focus on platform accountability is critical, it is equally important to recognise that the right to free speech is not absolute. Therefore, users also bear a constitutional responsibility while exercising this right. Free expression in a democratic society must be accompanied by civic digital behaviour, which includes refraining from spreading hate speech, misinformation, or engaging in harmful conduct online. The most recent example of this is the case of Ranveer Gautam Allahabadia vs. UOI (popularly known as “Latent Case”); the court came down heavily on the hosts and makers of the show and made its position crystal clear by stating, “there is nothinglike a fundamental right on platter...the fundamental rights are all followedby a duty...unless those people understand duty, there is no [...] deal withthat kind of elements...if somebody wants to enjoy fundamental rights, thiscountry gives a guarantee to enjoy, but guarantee is with a duty so thatguarantee will involve performing that duty also” .

The Way Forward: CyberPeace Suggests

In order to realise the benefits and derive the true benefits from the rights we are provided, especially the one in discussion, i.e., Freedom of Speech and Expression, the government and the designated intermediaries and regulators have to prepare both roadmaps, one for “Platform Accountability” and one for "User Accountability”, wherein the regulators with a reasonable foresight should conduct Algorithm Risk Audits which is a technique to make algorithms and there effects on content feeds visible. It can be an effective tool and an objective manner to compare how algorithms are automatically pushing different content to different users in an unfair or unbalanced way. As for user accountability, “Digital Literacy” is the way forward, ensuring that social media remains a marketplace of ideas and does not become a minefield of misfires.