#FactCheck - Debunking Viral Photo: Tears of Photographer Not Linked to Ram Mandir Opening

Introduction

Words come easily, but not necessarily the consequences that follow. Imagine a 15-year-old child on the internet hoping that the world will be nice to him and help him gain confidence, but instead, someone chooses to be mean on the internet, or the child becomes the victim of a new kind of cyberbullying, i.e., online trolling. The consequences of trolling can have serious repercussions, including eating disorders, substance abuse, conduct issues, body dysmorphia, negative self-esteem, and, in tragic cases, self-harm and suicide attempts in vulnerable individuals. The effects of online trolling can include anxiety, depression, and social isolation. This is one example, and hate speech and online abuse can touch anyone, regardless of age, background, or status. The damage may take different forms, but its impact is far-reaching. In today’s digital age, hate speech spreads rapidly through online platforms, often amplified by AI algorithms. 

As we celebrate today, i.e., 18th June, the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, if we have ever been mean to someone on the internet, we pledge never to repeat that kind of behaviour, and if we have been the victim, we will stand against the perpetrator and report it. 

This year, the theme for the International Day for Countering Hate Speech is “Hate Speech and Artificial Intelligence Nexus: Building coalitions to reclaim inclusive and secure environments free of hatred. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his statement, said, “Today, as this year’s theme reminds us, hate speech travels faster and farther than ever, amplified by Artificial Intelligence. Biased algorithms and digital platforms are spreading toxic content and creating new spaces for harassment and abuse."

Coded Convictions: How AI Reflects and Reinforces Ideologies

Algorithms have swiftly taken the place of feelings; they tamper with your taste, and they do so with a lighter foot, invisibly. They are becoming an important component of social media user interaction and content distribution. While these tools are designed to improve user experience, they frequently inadvertently spread divisive ideologies and push extremist propaganda. This amplification can strengthen the power of extremist organisations, spread misinformation, and deepen societal tensions. This phenomenon, known as “algorithmic radicalisation,” demonstrates how social media companies may utilise a discriminating content selection approach to entice people down ideological rabbit holes and shape their ideas. AI-driven algorithms often prioritise engagement over ethics, enabling divisive and toxic content to trend and placing vulnerable groups, especially youth and minorities, at risk. The UN’s Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, launched on June 18, 2019, recognises that while AI holds promise for early detection and prevention of harmful speech, it also demands stringent human rights safeguards. Without regulation, these tools can themselves become purveyors of bias and exclusion. 

India’s Constitutional Resolve and Civilizational Ethos against Hate

India has always taken pride in being inclusive and united rather than divided. As far as hate speech is concerned, India's stand is no different. The United Nations, India believes in the same values as its international counterpart. Although India has won many battles against hate speech, the war is not over and is now more prominent than ever due to the advancement in communication technologies. In India, while the right to freedom of speech and expression is protected under Article 19(1)(a), its exercise is limited subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2). Landmark rulings such as Ramji Lal Modi v. State of U.P. and Amish Devgan v. UOI have clarified that speech can be curbed if it incites violence or undermines public order. Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, empowers the government to block content, and these principles are also reflected in Section 196 of the BNS, 2023 (153A IPC) and Section 299 of the BNS, 2023 (295A IPC). Platforms are also required to track down the creators of harmful content and remove it within a reasonable hour and fulfil their due diligence requirements under IT rules.

While there is no denying that India needs to be well-equipped and prepared normatively to tackle hate propaganda and divisive forces. India’s rich culture and history, rooted in philosophies of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and pluralistic traditions, have long stood as a beacon of tolerance and coexistence. By revisiting these civilizational values, we can resist divisive forces and renew our collective journey toward harmony and peaceful living.

CyberPeace Message

The ultimate goal is to create internet and social media platforms that are better, safer and more harmonious for each individual, irrespective of his/her/their social and cultural background. CyberPeace stands resolute on promoting digital media literacy, cyber resilience, and consistently pushing for greater accountability for social media platforms. 

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References

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• https://www.un.org/en/observances/countering-hate-speech 
• https://www.artemishospitals.com/blog/the-impact-of-trolling-on-teen-mental-health 
• https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/from-clicks-to-chaos-how-social-media-algorithms-amplify-extremism ‍
• https://www.techpolicy.press/indias-courts-must-hold-social-media-platforms-accountable-for-hate-speech/

Introduction

Meta is the leader in social media platforms and has been successful in having a widespread network of users and services across global cyberspace. The corporate house has been responsible for revolutionizing messaging and connectivity since 2004. The platform has brought people closer together in terms of connectivity, however, being one of the most popular platforms is an issue as well. Popular platforms are mostly used by cyber criminals to gain unauthorised data or create chatrooms to maintain anonymity and prevent tracking. These bad actors often operate under fake names or accounts so that they are not caught. The platforms like Facebook and Instagram have been often in the headlines as portals where cybercriminals were operating and committing crimes.

To keep the data of the netizen safe and secure Paytm under first of its kind service is offering customers protection against cyber fraud through an insurance policy available for fraudulent mobile transactions up to Rs 10,000 for a premium of Rs 30. The cover ‘Paytm Payment Protect’ is provided through a group insurance policy issued by HDFC Ergo. The company said that the plan is being offered to increase the trust in digital payments, which will push up adoption.

Meta’s Cybersecurity

Meta has one of the best cyber security in the world but that diest mean that it cannot be breached. The social media giant is the most vulnerable platform in cases of data breaches as various third parties are also involved. As seen the in the case of Cambridge Analytica, a huge chunk of user data was available to influence the users in terms of elections. Meta needs to be ahead of the curve to have a safe and secure platform, for this Meta has deployed various AI and ML driven crawlers and software which work o keeping the platform safe for its users and simultaneously figure out which accounts may be used by bad actors and further removes the criminal accounts. The same is also supported by the keen participation of the user in terms of the reporting mechanism. Meta-Cyber provides visibility of all OT activities, observes continuously the PLC and SCADA for changes and configuration, and checks the authorization and its levels. Meta is also running various penetration and bug bounty programs to reduce vulnerabilities in their systems and applications, these testers are paid heavily depending upon the scope of the vulnerability they found.

‍CyberRoot Risk Investigation

Social media giant Meta has taken down over 40 accounts operated by an Indian firm CyberRoot Risk Analysis, allegedly involved in hack-for-hire services along with this Meta has taken down 900 fraudulently run accounts, these accounts are said to be operated from China by an unknown entity. CyberRoot Risk Analysis was responsible for sharing malware over the platform and used it to impersonate themselves just as their targets, i.e lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and industries like – cosmetic surgery, real estate, investment firms, pharmaceutical, private equity firms, and environmental and anti-corruption activists. They would get in touch with such personalities and then share malware hidden in files which would often lead to data breaches subsequently leading to different types of cybercrimes.

Meta and its team is working tirelessly to eradicate the influence of such bad actors from their platforms, use of AI and Ml based tools have increased exponentially.

‍Paytm CyberFraud Cover

Paytm is offering customers protection against cyber fraud through an insurance policy available for fraudulent mobile transactions up to Rs 10,000 for a premium of Rs 30. The cover ‘Paytm Payment Protect’ is provided through a group insurance policy issued by HDFC Ergo. The company said that the plan is being offered to increase the trust in digital payments, which will push up adoption. The insurance cover protects transactions made through UPI across all apps and wallets. The insurance coverage has been obtained by One97 Communications, which operates under the Paytm brand.

The exponential increase in the use of digital payments during the pandemic has made more people susceptible to cyber fraud. While UPI has all the digital safeguards in place, most UPI-related frauds are undertaken by confidence tricksters who get their victims to authorise a transaction by passing collect requests as payments. There are also many fraudsters collecting payments by pretending to be merchants. These types of frauds have resulted in a loss of more than Rs 63 crores in the previous financial year. The issue of data insurance is new to India but is indeed the need of the hour, majority of netizens are unaware of the value of their data and hence remain ignorant towards data protection, such steps will result in safer data management and protection mechanisms, thus safeguarding the Indian cyberspace.

Conclusion

cyberspace is at a critical juncture in terms of data protection and privacy, with new legislation coming out on the same we can expect new and stronger policies to prevent cybercrimes and cyber-attacks. The efforts by tech giants like Meta need to gain more speed in terms of the efficiency of cyber safety of the platform and the user to make sure that the future of the platforms remains secured strongly. The concept of data insurance needs to be shared with netizens to increase awareness about the subject. The initiative by Paytm will be a monumental initiative as this will encourage more platforms and banks to commit towards coverage for cyber crimes. With the increasing cases of cybercrimes, such financial coverage has come as a light of hope and security for the netizens.

Introduction

India’s telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), has directed telcos to block all unverified headers and message templates within 30 and 60 days, respectively, according to a press release. The regulator observed that telemarketers were ‘misusing’ headers and message templates of registered parties and asked telcos to reverify all registered headers & message templates on the DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) platform. All telecom service providers (TSP) have to comply with these directions, issued under the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations, 2018, within a month, TRAI said in its release. The directions were issued after TRAI held a meeting with telcos on February 17, 2023, to discuss quality of service (QoS) improvements, review of QoS standards, QoS of 5G services and unsolicited commercial communications”, as per its press release.

Why it matters?

It may be useful as it can ensure that all promotional messages are sent through registered telemarketers using only approved templates. It is no secret that the spam problem has been difficult to rein in, so the measure can restrict its proliferation and filter out telemarketers resorting to misuse.

Details about TRAI’s orders

The release said that telcos have to ensure that temporary headers are deactivated immediately after the time duration for which such headers were created. The telcos also have to ensure that there is no space to insert unwanted content in the template of a message where one can add content to be sent to people. Message recipients should not be confused, so telcos must ensure that they register no lookalike headers in the names of different senders.

Measures to check unregistered telemarketers

The release ordered telcos to bar telemarketers not registered on its DLT platform from accessing message templates and scrubbing them to deliver spam messages to recipients on the telco’s network. The telcos have been directed not to allow promotional messages to be sent by unregistered telemarketers or telemarketers using 10-digit telephone numbers. It added that telcos have to take action against erring telemarketers and share details of these telemarketers with other telcos, which will then be responsible for stopping these entities from sending commercial communications through their networks.

How big is the problem of spam?

A survey conducted by LocalCircles said that two out of every three people (66 per cent) in India get three or more spam calls daily. It added that not one person among thousands of respondents checked the box of ‘no spam’.

The platform said that it was a national survey which gathered over 56,000 responses from Indians located in 342 districts. It also found that 92 % of responders said they continue receiving spam despite opting for DND. The DND list is a feature where mobile subscriber can register their number to avoid getting unsolicited commercial communication (UCC).

Addressing the problem of spam

The regulatory body recently released a consultation paper that proposed the idea of providing the real name identity of callers to people receiving calls. The paper said that it would use a database containing each subscriber’s correct name to implement the caller name presentation (CNAP) service. The regulator wants to use details acquired by telecom service providers via customer acquisition forms (CAF).

TRAI formed a joint committee to look at the issue of phishing and cyber fraud in 2022. It included officials from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The telecom watchdog had laid out a plan to combat SMS and call spam using blockchain technology (DLT). It saw telecom companies and TRAI to build an encrypted and distributed database that will record user consent to be included in SMS or call send-out lists.

According to a press release, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the telecom regulator in India, has ordered carriers to block any unverified headers and message templates within 30 and 60 days, respectively.

The regulator saw that telemarketers were “misusing” registered parties’ headers and message templates. Thus, they requested that telecoms validate all of the registered headers and message templates on the DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) platform.

According to TRAI’s statement, all telecom service providers (TSP) must adhere to these directives within one month under the 2018 Telecom Commercial Communication Consumer Preference Rules. The guidelines were released following a conference with telcos convened by TRAI on February 17, 2023, to discuss quality of service (QoS) enhancements, a review of QoS standards, the QoS of 5G services, and unsolicited commercial communications.

Why it matters?

Requiring that only registered telemarketers send promotional communications using approved templates may prove to be a beneficial safeguard. It is no secret that the spam problem has been challenging to control, so the measure can limit its spread and screen out telemarketers that employ abusive tactics.

Information on the TRAI order

According to the press release, telecoms must ensure that temporary headers are deactivated as soon as the time period they were established has passed. The telecoms must also ensure that there is no room in the message template where one can add content to be sent to recipients for unwanted content. There should be no room for uncertainty among message recipients. Thus, telecoms must ensure that no similar-looking headers are registered under the identities of various senders.

Taking action against unregistered telemarketers In accordance with the directive, telcos must prevent telemarketers who are not registered on their DLT platform from obtaining message templates and using them to send spam to subscribers on their network. Telemarketers who are not registered or who use 10-digit phone numbers cannot send promotional messages, according to instructions given to telecoms. Telcos must take action against misbehaving telemarketers, it was noted, and divulge their information to other telecoms, who would be in charge of preventing these companies from transmitting commercial messages.

How widespread is the spam issue?

According to a LocalCircles poll, three or more spam calls are received every day by two out of every three Indians (66%) on average. It further stated that not a single one of the thousands of responses clicked the “no-spam” box. According to the platform, the survey was conducted nationally and received over 56,000 responses from Indians in 342 districts. Moreover, 92 % of respondents reported that even after choosing DND, they still receive spam. A mobile subscriber can register their number on the DND list to prevent receiving unsolicited commercial communication (UCC).

consultation document recently in which it recommended the concept of providing the genuine name identify of callers to persons receiving calls. The paper indicated that it would employ a database containing each subscriber’s correct name to implement the caller name presentation (CNAP) service. The regulator wants to use information collected by telecom service providers through client acquisition forms (CAF).

Conclusion

TRAI established a joint committee to examine the problem of phishing and cyber scams in 2022. Officials from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) were present (SEBI).

The telecom watchdog had outlined a strategy for leveraging blockchain technology to combat SMS and call spam (DLT).