#FactCheck-Viral Image of ‘New Iranian Banknote’ Featuring Khamenei Is Misleading; Likely AI-Generated

Executive Summary:
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A widely circulated claim on social media, including a post from the official X account of Pakistan, alleges that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carried out an airstrike on India, supported by a viral video. However, according to our research, the video used in these posts is actually footage from the video game Arma-3 and has no connection to any real-world military operation. The use of such misleading content contributes to the spread of false narratives about a conflict between India and Pakistan and has the potential to create unnecessary fear and confusion among the public.

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Claim:
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Viral social media posts, including the official Government of Pakistan X handle, claims that the PAF launched a successful airstrike against Indian military targets. The footage accompanying the claim shows jets firing missiles and explosions on the ground. The video is presented as recent and factual evidence of heightened military tensions.

Fact Check:

As per our research using reverse image search, the videos circulating online that claim to show Pakistan launching an attack on India under the name 'Operation Sindoor' are misleading. There is no credible evidence or reliable reporting to support the existence of any such operation. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has also verified that the video being shared is false and misleading. During our research, we also came across footage from the video game Arma-3 on YouTube, which appears to have been repurposed to create the illusion of a real military conflict. This strongly indicates that fictional content is being used to propagate a false narrative. The likely intention behind this misinformation is to spread fear and confusion by portraying a conflict that never actually took place.

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Conclusion:
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It is true to say that Pakistan is using the widely shared misinformation videos to attack India with false information. There is no reliable evidence to support the claim, and the videos are misleading and irrelevant. Such false information must be stopped right away because it has the potential to cause needless panic. No such operation is occurring, according to authorities and fact-checking groups.

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• Claim: Viral social media posts claim PAF attack on India
• Claimed On:  Social Media
• Fact Check: False and Misleading

Executive Summary:

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A video went viral on social media claiming to show a bridge collapsing in Bihar. The video prompted panic and discussions across various social media platforms. However, an exhaustive inquiry determined this was not real video but AI-generated content engineered to look like a real bridge collapse. This is a clear case of misinformation being harvested to create panic and ambiguity.

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Claim:

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The viral video shows a real bridge collapse in Bihar, indicating possible infrastructure failure or a recent incident in the state.

Fact Check:

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Upon examination of the viral video, various visual anomalies were highlighted, such as unnatural movements, disappearing people, and unusual debris behavior  which suggested the footage was generated artificially. We used  Hive AI Detector for AI detection, and it confirmed this, labelling the content as 99.9% AI. It is also noted that there is the absence of realism with the environment and some abrupt animation like effects that would not typically occur in actual footage.

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No valid news outlet or government agency reported a recent bridge collapse in Bihar. All these factors clearly verify that the video is made up and not real, designed to mislead viewers into thinking it was a real-life disaster, utilizing artificial intelligence.

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Conclusion:

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The viral video is a fake and confirmed to be AI-generated. It falsely claims to show a bridge collapsing in Bihar. This kind of video fosters misinformation and illustrates a growing concern about using AI-generated videos to mislead viewers.

Claim: A recent viral video captures a real-time bridge failure incident in Bihar.
Claimed On: Social Media
Fact Check: False and Misleading

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Introduction

Sexual Offences against children have recently come under scrutiny after the decision of the Madras High Court which has ruled that watching and downloading child sexual porn is an inchoate crime. In response, the Supreme Court, on 23 September 2024, ruled that Section 15 of the POCSO and Section 67B of the IT Act penalise any form of use of child pornography, including storing and watching such pornographic content. Along with this, the Supreme Court has further recommended replacing the term “Child Pornography” which it said acts as a misnomer and does not capture the full extent of the crime, with a more inclusive term “Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material” (CESAM). This term would more accurately reflect the reality that these images and videos are not merely pornographic but are records of incidents, where a child has either been sexually exploited and abused or where any abuse of children has been portrayed through any self-generated visual depiction.

Intermediaries cannot claim exemption from Liability U/S 79 

Previously, intermediaries claimed safe harbour by only complying with the requirements stipulated under the  MOU. As per the decision of the SC, now, an intermediary cannot claim exemption from the liability under Section 79 of the IT Act for any third-party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted by it unless due diligence is conducted by it and compliance is made of these provisions of the POCSO Act. This is as per the provisions of Sections 19 and 20 of the POCSO read with Rule 11 of the POCSO Rules which have a mandatory nature.

The due diligence under section 79 of the IT Act includes the removal of child pornographic content and immediate reporting of such content to the concerned police units in the manner specified under the POCSO Act and the Rules. In this way, the Supreme Court has broadened the Interpretation and scope of the ‘Due Diligence’ obligation under section 79 of the IT Act. It was also stated that is to be duly noted that merely because an intermediary complies with the IT Act, will not absolve it of any liability under the POCSO. This is unless it duly complies with the requirements and procedure set out under it, particularly Section 20 of the POCSO Act and Rule 11 of the POCSO Rules.

Bar on Judicial Use of the term ‘Child Porn’

Supreme Court found that the term child pornography can be trivialised as pornography is often seen as a consensual act between adults. Supreme Court emphasised using the term Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material  (CESAM) as it would emphasise the exploitation of children highlight the criminality of the act and shift the focus to a more robust framework to counter these crimes. The Supreme Court also stated that the Union of India should consider amending the POCSO Act to replace the "child pornography" term with "child sexual exploitative and abuse material" (CSEAM). This would reflect more accurately on the reality of such offences. Supreme Court also directed that the term "child pornography" shall not be used in any judicial order or judgment, and instead, the term "CSEAM" should be endorsed.

Curbing CSEAM Content on Social Media Platforms

Social Media Intermediaries and Expert Organisations play an important role in curbing CESAM content. Per the directions of the Apex Court, a need to impart positive age-appropriate sex education to prevent youth from engaging in harmful sexual behaviours, including the distribution, and viewing of CSEAM is important and all stakeholders must engage in proactive measures to counter these offences which are under the umbrella of CSEAM. This should entail promoting age-appropriated and lawful content on social media platforms and social media platforms to ensure compliance with applicable provisions.  

Conclusion 

In light of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling, it is imperative to acknowledge the pressing necessity of establishing a safer online environment that shields children from exploitation. The shift towards using "Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material" (CSEAM) emphasizes the severity of the crime and the need for a vigilant response. The social media intermediaries must respect their commitment to report and remove exploitive content and must ensure compliance with POCSO and IT regulations. Furthermore, comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education can also be used as a preventive measure, educating young people about the moral and legal ramifications of sexual offences, encouraging respect and awareness and ensuring safer cyberspace. 

References

• https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2024/09/23/storing-watching-child-pornography-crime-supreme-court-pocso-it-act/#:~:text=Supreme%20Court%3A%20The%20bench%20of,watching%20of%20such%20pornographic%20content
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/supreme-court-viewing-child-porn-is-offence-under-pocso-it-acts/articleshow/113613572.cms
• https://bwlegalworld.com/article/dont-use-term-child-pornography-says-sc-urges-parliament-to-amend-pocso-act-534053  
• https://indianexpress.com/article/india/child-pornography-law-pocso-it-supreme-court-9583376/

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