#Fact Old image of Hindu Priest with Donald trump at White house goes viral as recent.

Introduction

Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, announced that rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act are expected to be released by the end of January. The rules will be subject to a month-long consultation process, but their notification may be delayed until after the general elections in April-May 2024. Chandrasekhar mentioned changes to the current IT regulations would be made in the next few days to address the problem of deepfakes on social networking sites.

The government has observed a varied response from platforms regarding advisory measures on deepfakes, leading to the decision to enforce more specific rules. During the Digital India Dialogue, platforms were made aware of existing provisions and the consequences of non-compliance. An advisory was issued, and new amended IT rules will be released if satisfaction with compliance is not achieved.

When Sachin Tendulkar reported a deepfake on a site where he was seen endorsing a gaming application, it raised concerns about the exploitation of deepfakes. Tendulkar urged the reporting of such incidents and underlined the need for social media companies to be watchful, receptive to grievances, and quick to address disinformation and deepfakes.

The DPDP Act, 2023

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) 2023 is a brand-new framework for digital personal data protection that aims to protect individuals' digital personal data. The act ensures compliance by the platforms collecting personal data. The act aims to provide consent-based data collection techniques. DPDP Act 2023 is an important step toward protecting individual privacy. The Act, which requires express consent for the acquisition, administration, and processing of personal data, seeks to guarantee that organisations follow the stated objective for which user consent was granted. This proactive strategy coincides with global data protection trends and demonstrates India's commitment to safeguarding user information in the digital era.

Amendments to IT rules

Minister Chandrasekhar declared that existing IT regulations would be amended in order to combat the rising problem of deepfakes and disinformation on social media platforms. These adjustments, which will be published over the next few days, are primarily aimed at countering widespread of false information and deepfake. The decision follows a range of responses from platforms to deepfake recommendations made during Digital India Dialogues.

The government's stance: blocking non-compliant platforms

Minister Chandrasekhar reaffirmed the government's commitment to enforcing the updated guidelines. If platforms fail to follow compliance, the government may consider banning them. This severe position demonstrates the government's commitment to safeguarding Indian residents from the possible harm caused by false information.

Empowering Users with Education and Awareness

In addition to the upcoming DPDP Act Rules/recommendations and IT regulation changes, the government recognises the critical role that user education plays in establishing a robust digital environment. Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasised the necessity for comprehensive awareness programs to educate individuals about their digital rights and the need to protect personal information.

These instructional programs seek to equip users to make informed decisions about giving consent to their data. By developing a culture of digital literacy, the government hopes to guarantee that citizens have the information to safeguard themselves in an increasingly linked digital environment.

Balancing Innovation with User Protection

As India continues to explore its digital frontier, the junction of technology innovation and user safety remains a difficult balance. The upcoming Rules on the DPDP Act and modifications to existing IT rules represent the government's proactive efforts to build a strong framework that supports innovation while protecting user privacy and combating disinformation. Recognising the changing nature of the digital world, the government is actively participating in continuing discussions with stakeholders such as industry professionals, academia, and civil society. These conversations promote a collaborative approach to policy creation, ensuring that legislation is adaptable to the changing nature of cyber risks and technology breakthroughs. Such inclusive talks demonstrate the government's dedication to transparent and participatory governance, in which many viewpoints contribute to the creation of effective and nuanced policy. These advances reflect an important milestone in India's digital journey, as the country prepares to set a good example by creating responsible and safe digital ecosystems for its residents.

Reference : 

• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/govt-may-release-personal-data-bill-rules-in-a-fortnight/articleshow/106162669.cms?from=mdr
• https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/dpdp-rules-expected-to-be-released-by-end-of-the-month-mos-chandrasekhar-124011600679_1.html 

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Executive Summary:

The internet is a nest of scams and there's much need to be careful with predatory ideas that prey on the naïve people. Within the recent days, a malicious campaign has emerged falsely alleging 28 day free recharge by courtesy of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This blog seeks to analyze the tactics used by this scam in luring the victims and give an overview on how one can identify and keep away from such fraudulent activities.

Claim:

In view of the increasing support for the BJP 2024 election, a rumor has allegedly claimed that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering a free recharge with a validity period of up-to twenty eight days at cost of ₹239  to all Indian users. The message encourages the users to click on a given link in order to redeem the free recharge, pointing out that this offer is valid until January 26th of 2024.

The Deceptive Journey:

• Insecure Links:The research begins with a suspicious link (http://offerintro[.]com/BJP2024), without any credibility that honest sites use to protect the user information. We should keep in mind that the links which aren’t secure may easily lead to phishing and other  cyber threats.
• Multiple Redirects:When users click the link, they are immediately directed through a series of links. This common tactic used by scammers is designed to hide the true origin of their fraudulent scheme, making it difficult for users' efforts to identify the malicious activity.
• False Promises and Fake Comments:The landing page has a banner of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi that makes it look like this is an official channel and hence authentic. Further, false comments can be also included to compliment the alleged initiative. But remember that genuine government announcements are made through legal channels, not by the shady websites.
• Mobile Number Request:As the next step, the users enter their mobile numbers in the specified field. True initiatives never really need the personal information to pass through unofficial lines. This is actually a trick that scammers use to acquire the important information.
• Share to Activate:Once a user has entered the mobile number, he/she is prompted to share the link with others in order to “activate” promised free recharge. This method is most often used by scammers for spreading their fraudulent message beyond the targeted victim.
• Fake Progress Display:When the users have done their part by sharing the link, a false recharge in progress  bar is shown to make them believe that it has started. But the consumers are unwittingly playing a part in the fraud.
• Recharge Completion Pop-up:The last stage of fraud includes a pop-up saying that the recharge is done; leaving users with the false belief that they have benefited from a legitimate government initiative.

What we Analyze :

• It is important to note that at this particular point, there has not been any official declaration or a proper confirmation of an offer made by the Prime Minister or from their government. So, people must be very careful when encountering such messages because they are often employed as lures in phishing attacks or misinformation campaigns. Before engaging or transmitting such claims, it is always advisable to authenticate the information from trustworthy sources in order to protect oneself online and prevent the spread of wrongful information.
• The campaign is hosted on a third party domain instead of any official Government Website, this raised suspicion. Also the domain has been registered in very recent times.

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• Domain Name: offerintro[.]com
• Registry Domain ID: 2791466714_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
• Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.godaddy[.]com
• Registrar URL: https://www.godaddy[.]com
• ‍Registrar: GoDaddy[.]com, LLC
• Registrar IANA ID: 146
• Updated Date: 2023-06-18T20:37:20Z
• Creation Date: 2023-06-18T20:37:20Z
• Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2024-06-18T20:37:20Z
• Name Server: ANAHI.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
• Name Server: GARRETT.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM

CyberPeace Advisory:

• Stay Informed: Beware of the scams and keep yourself updated through authentic government platforms.
• Verify Website Security: Do not get engaged with any insecure HTTP links but focus on URLs that have secure encryption (HTTPS).
• Protect Personal Information: However, be cautious when sharing personal information – especially in a non-official channel.
• Report Suspicious Activity: If you discover any scams or fraudulent activities, report it and the relevant sites to help avoid others from being defrauded of their hard earned money.

Conclusion:

Summing up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Free Recharge fraud is an excellent illustration that there is always some danger within cyberspace. The way of the method, from insecure links and also multiple redirects to false promises and really data collection make it clear that internet users should be more careful. The importance of staying up-to-date with what is happening in this new digital world, verifying credibility and also privacy are paramount. By being cautiously aware, the people can keep themselves safe from such fraudulent acts and also play a role in ensuring security even for an online world. Remember that an offer which is in a perfect world should be illegal. Therefore, after doing a thorough research we found this campaign to be fake.

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Introduction

The world has been surfing the wave of technological advancements and innovations for the past decade, and it all pins down to one device – our mobile phone. For all mobile users, the primary choices of operating systems are Android and iOS. Android is an OS created by google in 2008 and is supported by most brands like – One+, Mi, OPPO, VIVO, Motorola, and many more and is one of the most used operating systems. iOS is an OS that was developed by Apple and was introduced in their first phone – The iPhone, in 2007. Both OS came into existence when mobile phone penetration was slow globally, and so the scope of expansion and advancements was always in favor of such operating systems.

The Evolution

iOS

Ever since the advent of the iPhone, iOS has seen many changes since 2007. The current version of iOs is iOS 16. However, in the course of creating new iOS and updating the old ones, Apple has come out with various advancements like the App Store, Touch ID & Face ID, Apple Music, Podcasts, Augmented reality, Contact exposure, and many more, which have later become part of features of Android phone as well. Apple is one of the oldest tech and gadget developers in the world, most of the devices manufactured by Apple have received global recognition, and hence Apple enjoys providing services to a huge global user base.

Android

The OS has been famous for using the software version names on the food items like – Pie, Oreo, Nougat, KitKat, Eclairs, etc. From Android 10 onwards, the new versions were demoted by number. The most recent Android OS is Android 13; this OS is known for its practicality and flexibility. In 2012 Android became the most popular operating system for mobile devices, surpassing Apple’s iOS, and as of 2020, about 75 percent of mobile devices run Android.

Android vs. iOS

1. USER INTERFACE

One of the most noticeable differences between Android and iPhone is their user interface. Android devices have a more customizable interface, with options to change the home screen, app icons, and overall theme. The iPhone, on the other hand, has a more uniform interface with less room for customization. Android allows users to customize their home screen by adding widgets and changing the layout of their app icons. This can be useful for people who want quick access to certain functions or information on their home screen. IOS does not have this feature, but it does allow users to organize their app icons into folders for easier navigation.

2. APP SELECTION

Another factor to consider when choosing between Android and iOS is the app selection. Both platforms have a wide range of apps available, but there are some differences to consider. Android has a larger selection of apps overall, including a larger selection of free apps. However, some popular apps, such as certain music streaming apps and games, may be released first or only available on iPhone. iOS also has a more curated app store, meaning that all apps must go through a review process before being accepted for download. This can result in a higher quality of apps overall, but it can also mean that it takes longer for new apps to become available on the platform. iPhone devices tend to have less processing power and RAM. But they are generally more efficient in their use of resources. This can result in longer battery life, but it may also mean that iPhones are slower at handling multiple tasks or running resource-intensive apps.

3. PERFORMANCE

When it comes to performance, both Android and iPhone have their own strengths and weaknesses. Android devices tend to have more processing power and RAM. This can make them faster and more capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously. However, this can also lead to Android devices having shorter battery life compared to iPhones.

4. SECURITY

Security is an important consideration for any smartphone user, and Android and iPhone have their own measures to protect user data. Android devices are generally seen as being less secure than iPhones due to their open nature. Android allows users to install apps from sources other than the Google Play Store, which can increase the risk of downloading malicious apps. However, Android has made improvements in recent years to address this issue. Including the introduction of Google Play Protect, which scans apps for malware before they are downloaded. On the other hand, iPhone devices have a more closed ecosystem, with all apps required to go through Apple‘s review process before being available for download. This helps reduce the risk of downloading malicious apps, but it can also limit the platform’s flexibility.

Conclusion

The debate about the better OS has been going on for some time now, and it looks like it will get more comprehensive in the times to come, as netizens go deeper into cyberspace, they will get more aware and critical of their uses and demands, which will allow them to opt for the best OS for their convenience. Although the Andriod OS, due to its integration, stands more vulnerable to security threats as compared to iOS, no software is secure in today’s time, what is secure is its use and application hence the netizen and the platforms need to increase their awareness and knowledge to safeguard themselves and the wholesome cyberspace.