#FactCheck - Uncovered: Viral LA Wildfire Video is a Shocking AI-Generated Fake!

Introduction

The Senate bill introduced on 19 March 2024 in the United States would require online platforms to obtain consumer consent before using their data for Artificial Intelligence (AI) model training. If a company fails to obtain this consent, it would be considered a deceptive or unfair practice and result in enforcement action from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the AI consumer opt-in, notification standards, and ethical norms for training (AI Consent) bill. The legislation aims to strengthen consumer protection and give Americans the power to determine how their data is used by online platforms. 

The proposed bill also seeks to create standards for disclosures, including requiring platforms to provide instructions to consumers on how they can affirm or rescind their consent. The option to grant or revoke consent should be made available at any time through an accessible and easily navigable mechanism, and the selection to withhold or reverse consent must be at least as prominent as the option to accept while taking the same number of steps or fewer as the option to accept.

The AI Consent bill directs the FTC to implement regulations to improve transparency by requiring companies to disclose when the data of individuals will be used to train AI and receive consumer opt-in to this use. 
The bill also commissions an FTC report on the technical feasibility of de-identifying data, given the rapid advancements in AI technologies, evaluating potential measures companies could take to effectively de-identify user data.

The definition of ‘Artificial Intelligence System’ under the proposed bill

ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE SYSTEM- The term artificial intelligence system“ means a machine-based system that—

1. Is capable of influencing the environment by producing an output, including predictions, recommendations or decisions, for a given set of objectives; and
2. 2. Uses machine or human-based data and inputs to

(i) Perceive real or virtual environments;

(ii) Abstract these perceptions into models through analysis in an automated manner (such as by using machine learning) or manually; and

(iii) Use model inference to formulate options for outcomes.

Importance of the proposed AI Consent Bill USA

1. Consumer Data Protection: The AI Consent bill primarily upholds the privacy rights of an individual. Consent is necessitated from the consumer before data is used for AI Training; the bill aims to empower individuals with unhinged autonomy over the use of personal information. The scope of the bill aligns with the greater objective of data protection laws globally, stressing the criticality of privacy rights and autonomy.

2. Prohibition Measures: The proposed bill intends to prohibit covered entities from exploiting the data of consumers for training purposes without their consent. This prohibition extends to the sale of data, transfer to third parties and usage. Such measures aim to prevent data misuse and exploitation of personal information. The bill aims to ensure companies are leveraged by consumer information for the development of AI without a transparent process of consent.

3. Transparent Consent Procedures: The bill calls for clear and conspicuous disclosures to be provided by the companies for the intended use of consumer data for AI training. The entities must provide a comprehensive explanation of data processing and its implications for consumers. The transparency fostered by the proposed bill allows consumers to make sound decisions about their data and its management, hence nurturing a sense of accountability and trust in data-driven practices.

4. Regulatory Compliance: The bill's guidelines call for strict requirements for procuring the consent of an individual. The entities must follow a prescribed mechanism for content solicitation, making the process streamlined and accessible for consumers. Moreover, the acquisition of content must be independent, i.e. without terms of service and other contractual obligations. These provisions underscore the importance of active and informed consent in data processing activities, reinforcing the principles of data protection and privacy.

5. Enforcement and Oversight: To enforce compliance with the provisions of the bill, robust mechanisms for oversight and enforcement are established. Violations of the prescribed regulations are treated as unfair or deceptive acts under its provisions. Empowering regulatory bodies like the FTC to ensure adherence to data privacy standards. By holding covered entities accountable for compliance, the bill fosters a culture of accountability and responsibility in data handling practices, thereby enhancing consumer trust and confidence in the digital ecosystem.

Importance of Data Anonymization

Data Anonymization is the process of concealing or removing personal or private information from the data set to safeguard the privacy of the individual associated with it. Anonymised data is a sort of information sanitisation in which data anonymisation techniques encrypt or delete personally identifying information from datasets to protect data privacy of the subject. This reduces the danger of unintentional exposure during information transfer across borders and allows for easier assessment and analytics after anonymisation. When personal information is compromised, the organisation suffers not just a security breach but also a breach of confidence from the client or consumer. Such assaults can result in a wide range of privacy infractions, including breach of contract, discrimination, and identity theft.

The AI consent bill asks the FTC to study data de-identification methods. Data anonymisation is critical to improving privacy protection since it reduces the danger of re-identification and unauthorised access to personal information. Regulatory bodies can increase privacy safeguards and reduce privacy risks connected with data processing operations by investigating and perhaps implementing anonymisation procedures.

The AI consent bill emphasises de-identification methods, as well as the DPDP Act 2023 in India, while not specifically talking about data de-identification, but it emphasises the data minimisation principles, which highlights the potential future focus on data anonymisation processes or techniques in India.

Conclusion

The proposed AI Consent bill in the US represents a significant step towards enhancing consumer privacy rights and data protection in the context of AI development. Through its stringent prohibitions, transparent consent procedures, regulatory compliance measures, and robust enforcement mechanisms, the bill strives to strike a balance between fostering innovation in AI technologies while safeguarding the privacy and autonomy of individuals.

References:

• https://fedscoop.com/consumer-data-consent-training-ai-models-senate-bill/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20AI%20CONSENT%20Act%20gives,Welch%20said%20in%20a%20statement
• https://www.dataguidance.com/news/usa-bill-ai-consent-act-introduced-house#:~:text=USA%3A%20Bill%20for%20the%20AI%20Consent%20Act%20introduced%20to%20House%20of%20Representatives,-ConsentPrivacy%20Law&text=On%20March%2019%2C%202024%2C%20US,the%20U.S.%20House%20of%20Representatives
• https://datenrecht.ch/en/usa-ai-consent-act-vorgeschlagen/
• https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-welch-introduce-billto-require-online-platforms-receive-consumers-consent-before-using-their-personal-data-to-train-ai-models/

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WhatsApp messages masquerading as an offer from Maruti Suzuki with links luring unsuspecting users with the promise of Maruti Suzuki 40th Anniversary Celebration presents, have been making the rounds on the app. If you receive such messages try to stay away from it, as it can be a scam.

The Research Wing of CyberPeace Foundation along with Autobot Infosec Private Limited have conducted a study based on a WhatsApp message that contained a link pretending to be a free gift offer from Maruti Suzuki which asks users to participate in a survey in order to get a chance to win a Maruti Baleno Sigma MT car.

Warning SignsThe campaign pretends to be an offer from Maruti Suzuki but is hosted on a third party domain instead of the official Maruti Suzuki website which makes it more suspicious.

The domain names associated with the campaign have been registered in very recent times.

Multiple redirections have been noticed between the links.

No reputed site would ask its users to share the campaign on WhatsApp.

The prize is kept really attractive to lure the laymen.

Grammatical mistakes have been noticed.

A congratulations message appears on the landing page with an attractive photo of Maruti Suzuki cars that asks users to participate in a quick survey in order to get a “Maruti Suzuki BALENO Sigma MT”. Also, the bottom of the page seems to appear like a comment section with public comments establishing the truthfulness of the offer.

The survey starts with some basic questions like Do you know Maruti Suzuki?, How old are you?, How do you think of Maruti Suzuki?, Are you male or female? Etc. Once the user answers the questions a “congratulatory message” is displayed.

On clicking the OK button users are given three attempts to win the prize. After completing all the attempts a message pops up that the user has won “Maruti Suzuki BALENO Sigma MT”. It then prompts the user to share the message on WhatsApp.

Strangely enough the user has to keep clicking the WhatsApp button until the progress bar completes. After clicking on the green ‘WhatsApp’ button multiple times it shows a section where an instruction has been given to complete registration in order to get the prize.

After clicking on the green ‘Complete registration’ button, it redirects the user to multiple advertisements web pages varying each time the user clicks on the button.

During the analysis the research team found a javascript code called hm.js was being executed in the background from the host hm[.]baidu[.]com which is a subdomain of Baidu and is used for Baidu Analytics, also known as Baidu Tongji. The important part is that Baidu is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services, products and artificial intelligence, headquartered in Beijing’s Haidian district, China.To read the full report, please click (https://www.cyberpeace.org/CyberPeace/Repository/20210828Research-report-on-Maruti-Suzuki-40th-Anniversary-Celebration-free-gift-scam.pdf) here:

Conclusive Summary

1. The whole research activity was performed in a secured sandbox environment where the WhatsApp application was not installed. If any user opens the link from a device like smartphones where the WhatsApp application is installed, the sharing features on the site will open the Whatsapp application on the device to share the link.

2. The campaign collects browser and system information from the users.

3. Most of the domain names associated with the campaign have the registrant country as China.

4. Cybercriminals used Cloudflare technologies to mask the real IP addresses of the front-end domain names used in this Maruti Suzuki 40th Anniversary Celebration free gift campaign. But during the phases of investigation, the research team has identified a domain name that was requested in the background and has been traced as belonging to China.

CyberPeace Advisory

1. CyberPeace Foundation and Autobot Infosec recommend that people should avoid opening such messages sent via social platforms.

2. If at all, the user gets into this trap, it could lead to whole system compromise such as access to the microphone, Camera, Text Messages, Contacts, Pictures, Videos, Banking Applications, etc as well as financial losses.

3. Do not share confidential details like login credentials, banking information with such a type of scam.

4. Do not share or forward fake messages containing links without proper verification.

5. There is a need for International Cyber Cooperation between countries to bust the cybercriminal gangs running the fraud campaigns affecting individuals and organizations, to make Cyberspace resilient and peaceful.

Source: https://www.business-standard.com//content/press-releases-ani/cyber-criminals-target-internet-users-with-maruti-suzuki-40th-anniversary-celebration-free-gift-scam-121083101204_1.html

Introduction

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently issued the “Email Policy of Government of India, 2024.” It is an updated email policy for central government employees, requiring the exclusive use of official government emails managed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for public duties. The policy replaces 2015 guidelines and prohibits government employees, contractors, and consultants from using their official email addresses on social media or other websites unless authorised for official functions. The policy aims to reinforce cybersecurity measures and protocols, maintain secure communications, and ensure compliance across departments. It is not legally binding, but its gazette notification ensures compliance and maintains cyber resilience in communications. The updated policy is also aligned with the newly enacted Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

Brief Highlights of Email Policy of Government of India, 2024

• The Email Policy of the Government of India, 2024 is divided into three parts namely, Part I: Introduction, Part II: Terms of Use, Part III: Functions, duties and Responsibilities, and with an annexe attached to it defining the meaning of certain organisation types in relation to this policy.
• The policy direct to not use NICeMail address for registering on any social media or other websites or mobile applications, save for the performance of official duties or with due authorisation from the authority competent.
• Under this new policy, “core use organisations” (central government departments and other government-controlled entities that do not provide goods or services on commercial terms) and its users shall use only NICeMail for official purposes. 

• However, where the Core Use Organisation has an office or establishment outside India, to ensure availability of local communication channels under exigent circumstances may use alternative email services hosted outside India with all due approval.
• Core Use Organisations, including those dealing with national security, have their own independent email servers and can continue operating their independent email servers provided the servers are hosted in India. They should also consider migrating their email services to NICeMail Services for security and uniform policy enforcement.
• The policy also requires departments that currently use @gov.in or @nic.in to instead migrate to @departmentname.gov.in mail domains so that information sanctity and integrity can be maintained when officials are transferred from one department/ministry to another, and so that the ministry/department doesn’t lose access to the official communication. For this, the department or ministry in question must register the domain name with NIC. For instance, MeitY has registered the mail domain @meity.gov.in. The policy gives government departments six months time period complete this migration.
• The policy also makes distinction between (1) Organisation-linked email addresses and (2) Service-linked email addresses. The policy in respect of “organisation-linked email addresses” is laid down in paragraphs 5.3.2(a) and 5.4 to 5.6.3. And the policy in respect of “service-linked email addresses” is laid down in paragraphs 5.3.2(b) and 5.7 to 5.7.2 under the official document of said policy. 

• Further, the new policy includes specific directives on separating the email addresses of regular government employees from those of contractors or consultants to improve operational clarity.

CyberPeace Policy Outlook 

The revised Email Policy of the Government of India reflects the government’s proactive response to countering the evolving cybersecurity challenges and aims to maintain cyber resilience across the government department’s email communications. The policy represents a significant step towards securing inter government and intra-government communications. We as a cybersecurity expert organisation emphasise the importance of protecting sensitive data against cyber threats, particularly in a world increasingly targeted by sophisticated phishing and malware attacks, and we advocate for safe and secure online communication and information exchange. Email communications hold sensitive information and therefore require robust policies and mechanisms in place to safeguard the communications and ensure that sensitive data is shielded through regulated and secure email usage with technical capabilities for safe use. The proactive step taken by MeitY is commendable and aligned with securing governmental communication channels.

References:

1. https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Email-policy-30-10-2024.pdf-(Official document for Email Policy of Government of India, 2024.
2. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dont-use-govt-email-ids-for-social-media-central-govt-policy-for-employees-101730312997936.html#:~:text=Government%20employees%20must%20not%20use,email%20policy%20issued%20on%20Wednesday
3. https://bwpeople.in/article/new-email-policy-issued-for-central-govt-employees-to-strengthen-cybersecurity-measures-537805
4. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-notifies-email-policy-for-ministries-central-departments/article68815537.ece

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