#FactCheck - Viral image claiming to show injury marks of the MP Kangana Ranaut slapped is fake & misleading
Executive Summary:
The viral image in the social media which depicts fake injuries on the face of the MP(Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha) Kangana Ranaut alleged to have been beaten by a CISF officer at the Chandigarh airport. The reverse search of the viral image taken back to 2006, was part of an anti-mosquito commercial and does not feature the MP, Kangana Ranaut. The findings contradict the claim that the photos are evidence of injuries resulting from the incident involving the MP, Kangana Ranaut. It is always important to verify the truthfulness of visual content before sharing it, to prevent misinformation.
Claims:
The images circulating on social media platforms claiming the injuries on the MP, Kangana Ranaut’s face were because of an assault incident by a female CISF officer at Chandigarh airport. This claim hinted that the photos are evidence of the physical quarrel and resulting injuries suffered by the MP, Kangana Ranaut.
Fact Check:
When we received the posts, we reverse-searched the image and found another photo that looked similar to the viral one. We could verify through the earring in the viral image with the new image.
The reverse image search revealed that the photo was originally uploaded in 2006 and is unrelated to the MP, Kangana Ranaut. It depicts a model in an advertisement for an anti-mosquito spray campaign.
We can validate this from the earrings in the photo after the comparison between the two photos.
Hence, we can confirm that the viral image of the injury mark of the MP, Kangana Ranaut has been debunked as fake and misleading, instead it has been cropped out from the original photo to misrepresent the context.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the viral photos on social media which claimed to be the results of injuries on the MP, Kangana Ranaut’s face after being assaulted allegedly by a CISF officer at the airport in Chandigarh were fake. Detailed analysis of the pictures provided the fact that the pictures have no connection with Ranaut; the picture was a 2006 anti-mosquito spray advertisement; therefore, the allegations that show these images as that of Ranaut’s injury are fake and misleading.
- Claim: photos circulating on social media claiming to show injuries on the MP, Kangana Ranaut's face following an assault incident by a female CISF officer at Chandigarh airport.
- Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter), thread, Facebook
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
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Introduction
Election misinformation poses a major threat to democratic processes all over the world. The rampant spread of misleading information intentionally (disinformation) and unintentionally (misinformation) during the election cycle can not only create grounds for voter confusion with ramifications on election results but also incite harassment, bullying, and even physical violence. The attack on the United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C., in 2021, is a classic example of this phenomenon, where the spread of dis/misinformation snowballed into riots.
Election Dis/Misinformation
Election dis/misinformation is false or misleading information that affects/influences public understanding of voting, candidates, and election integrity. The internet, particularly social media, is the foremost source of false information during elections. It hosts fabricated news articles, posts or messages containing incorrectly-captioned pictures and videos, fabricated websites, synthetic media and memes, and distorted truths or lies. In a recent example during the 2024 US elections, fake videos using the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) insignia alleging voter fraud in collusion with a political party and claiming the threat of terrorist attacks were circulated. According to polling data collected by Brookings, false claims influenced how voters saw candidates and shaped opinions on major issues like the economy, immigration, and crime. It also impacted how they viewed the news media’s coverage of the candidates’ campaign. The shaping of public perceptions can thus, directly influence election outcomes. It can increase polarisation, affect the quality of democratic discourse, and cause disenfranchisement. From a broader perspective, pervasive and persistent misinformation during the electoral process also has the potential to erode public trust in democratic government institutions and destabilise social order in the long run.
Challenges In Combating Dis/Misinformation
- Platform Limitations: Current content moderation practices by social media companies struggle to identify and flag misinformation effectively. To address this, further adjustments are needed, including platform design improvements, algorithm changes, enhanced content moderation, and stronger regulations.
- Speed and Spread: Due to increasingly powerful algorithms, the speed and scale at which misinformation can spread is unprecedented. In contrast, content moderation and fact-checking are reactive and are more time-consuming. Further, incendiary material, which is often the subject of fake news, tends to command higher emotional engagement and thus, spreads faster (virality).
- Geopolitical influences: Foreign actors seeking to benefit from the erosion of public trust in the USA present a challenge to the country's governance, administration and security machinery. In 2018, the federal jury indicted 11 Russian military officials for alleged computer hacking to gain access to files during the 2016 elections. Similarly, Russian involvement in the 2024 federal elections has been alleged by high-ranking officials such as White House national security spokesman John Kirby, and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
- Lack of Targeted Plan to Combat Election Dis/Misinformation: In the USA, dis/misinformation is indirectly addressed through laws on commercial advertising, fraud, defamation, etc. At the state level, some laws such as Bills AB 730, AB 2655, AB 2839, and AB 2355 in California target election dis/misinformation. The federal and state governments criminalize false claims about election procedures, but the Constitution mandates “breathing space” for protection from false statements within election speech. This makes it difficult for the government to regulate election-related falsities.
CyberPeace Recommendations
- Strengthening Election Cybersecurity Infrastructure: To build public trust in the electoral process and its institutions, security measures such as updated data protection protocols, publicized audits of election results, encryption of voter data, etc. can be taken. In 2022, the federal legislative body of the USA passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act (ECRA), pushing reforms allowing only a state’s governor or designated executive official to submit official election results, preventing state legislatures from altering elector appointment rules after Election Day and making it more difficult for federal legislators to overturn election results. More investments can be made in training, scenario planning, and fact-checking for more robust mitigation of election-related malpractices online.
- Regulating Transparency on Social Media Platforms: Measures such as transparent labeling of election-related content and clear disclosure of political advertising to increase accountability can make it easier for voters to identify potential misinformation. This type of transparency is a necessary first step in the regulation of content on social media and is useful in providing disclosures, public reporting, and access to data for researchers. Regulatory support is also required in cases where popular platforms actively promote election misinformation.
- Increasing focus on ‘Prebunking’ and Debunking Information: Rather than addressing misinformation after it spreads, ‘prebunking’ should serve as the primary defence to strengthen public resilience ahead of time. On the other hand, misinformation needs to be debunked repeatedly through trusted channels. Psychological inoculation techniques against dis/misinformation can be scaled to reach millions on social media through short videos or messages.
- Focused Interventions On Contentious Themes By Social Media Platforms: As platforms prioritize user growth, the burden of verifying the accuracy of posts largely rests with users. To shoulder the responsibility of tackling false information, social media platforms can outline critical themes with large-scale impact such as anti-vax content, and either censor, ban, or tweak the recommendations algorithm to reduce exposure and weaken online echo chambers.
- Addressing Dis/Information through a Socio-Psychological Lens: Dis/misinformation and its impact on domains like health, education, economy, politics, etc. need to be understood through a psychological and sociological lens, apart from the technological one. A holistic understanding of the propagation of false information should inform digital literacy training in schools and public awareness campaigns to empower citizens to evaluate online information critically.
Conclusion
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024, the link between misleading or false information and societal unrest will be a focal point during elections in several major economies over the next two years. Democracies must employ a mixed approach of immediate tactical solutions, such as large-scale fact-checking and content labelling, and long-term evidence-backed countermeasures, such as digital literacy, to curb the spread and impact of dis/misinformation.
Sources
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2024-election-misinformation-fbi-fake-videos/
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-disinformation-defined-the-2024-election-narrative/
- https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber/russian-interference-in-2016-u-s-elections
- https://indianexpress.com/article/world/misinformation-spreads-fear-distrust-ahead-us-election-9652111/
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcl/article/70/Supplement_1/i278/6597032#377629256
- https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/how-states-can-prevent-election-subversion-2024-and-beyond
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2dpj485nno
- https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2022/how-misinformation-and-disinformation-influence-elections
- https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/a-survey-of-expert-views-on-misinformation-definitions-determinants-solutions-and-future-of-the-field/
- https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2023-06/Digital_News_Report_2023.pdf
- https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/03/disinformation-trust-ecosystem-experts-curb-it/
- https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-recommendations
- https://mythvsreality.eci.gov.in/
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/transparency-is-essential-for-effective-social-media-regulation/
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-should-social-media-platforms-combat-misinformation-and-hate-speech/
Introduction
A hacking operation has corrupted data on Madhya Pradesh's e-Nagarpalika portal, a vital online platform for paying civic taxes that serves 413 towns and cities in the state. Due to this serious security violation, the portal has been shut down. The incident occurred in December 2023. This affects citizens' access to vital online services like possessions, water, and municipal tax payments, as well as the issuing of obituaries and certain documents offered via online portal. Ransomware which is a type of malware encodes and conceals a victim's files, and data making it inaccessible and unreachable unless the attacker is paid a ransom. When ransomware initially appeared, encryption was the main method of preventing individuals' data from such threats.
The Intrusion and Database Corruption: Exposing the Breach's Scope
The extent of the assault on the e-Nagarpalika portal was revealed by the Principal Secretary of the Urban Administration and Housing Department of Madhya Pradesh, in a startling revelation. Cybercriminals carried out a highly skilled assault that led to the total destruction of the data infrastructure covering all 413 of the towns for which the website was responsible.
This significant breach represents a thorough infiltration into the core of the electronic civic taxation system, not just an arrangement. Because of the attackers' nefarious intent, the data integrity was compromised, raising questions about the safeguarding of private citizen data. The extent of the penetration reaches vital city services, causing a reassessment of the current cybersecurity safeguards in place.
In addition to raising concerns about the privacy of personal information, the hacked information system casts doubt on the availability of crucial municipal services. Among the vital services affected by this cyberattack are marriage licenses, birth and death documents, and the efficient handling of possessions, water, and municipal taxes.
The weaknesses of electronic systems, which are the foundation of contemporary civic services, are highlighted by this incident. Beyond the attack's immediate interruption, citizens now have to deal with concerns about the security of their information and the availability of essential services. This tragedy is a clear reminder of the urgent need for robust safety safeguards as authorities work hard to control the consequences and begin the process of restoration.
Offline Protections in Place
The concerned authority informed the general population that the offsite data, which has been stored up on recordings every three days, is secure despite the online attack. This preventive action emphasises how crucial offline restores are to lessening the effects of these kinds of cyberattacks. The choice to keep the e-Nagarpalika platform offline until a certain time highlights how serious the matter is and how urgently extensive reconstruction must be done to restore the online services offer
Effect on Civic Services
The e-Nagarpalika website is crucial to providing online municipal services, serving as an invaluable resource for citizens to obtain necessary paperwork and carry out diverse transactions. Civic organisations have been told to function offline while the portal remains unavailable until the infrastructure is fully operational. This interruption prompts worries about possible delays and obstacles citizens face when getting basic amenities during this time.
Examination and Quality Control
Information technology specialists are working diligently to look into the computer virus and recover the website, in coordination with the Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation Limited, the state's cyber police, and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). Reassuringly for impacted citizens, authorities note that there is currently no proof of data leaks arising from the hack.
Conclusion
The computerised attack on the e-Nagarpalika portal in Madhya Pradesh exposes the weakness of computer networks. It has affected the essential services to public services offered via online portal. The hack, which exposed citizen data and interfered with vital services, emphasises how urgently strong safety precautions are needed. The tragedy is a clear reminder of the need to strengthen technology as authorities investigate and attempt to restore the system. One bright spot is that the offline defenses in place highlight the significance of backup plans in reducing the impact of cyberattacks. The ongoing reconstruction activities demonstrate the commitment to protecting public data and maintaining the confidentiality of essential city operations.
References
- https://government.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/cyber+attack
- https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware#:~:text=Ransomware%20is%20a%20type%20of,accessing%20their%20files%20and%20systems.
- https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/mp-s-e-nagarpalika-portal-suffers-cyber-attack-data-corrupted-officials-123122300519_1.html
- https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/mp-govts-e-nagar-palika-portal-hacked-data-of-over-400-cities-leaked
Executive Summary:
Amid the ongoing conflict involving the US-Israel and Iran, Tehran has claimed that it shot down a US F-35 fighter jet. In this context, a video is going viral on social media showing a crashed American fighter aircraft on the ground. It is being claimed that the footage shows Iran downing a US F-35 jet. However, an research by the CyberPeace found that the viral video is a deepfake and not real. The clip appears to have been created using Google AI tools.
Claim:
A social media user “Azania” shared the viral video on March 20, 2026, with the caption,“#Iran hit the 5th generation F-35 fighter of the #US Air Force… An American F-35 fighter made an emergency landing at an air base in the Middle East after coming under Iranian fire, sources told CNN.”
Fact Check:
We began our research with a news search and found multiple reports stating that a US F-35 fighter jet was damaged during a combat mission over Iran. According to reports, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have damaged a US F-35 jet and also released a video. As per a CNN report, US officials confirmed that an American F-35 was damaged during a mission over Iran, forcing it to make an emergency landing at a US airbase in the Middle East. The pilot was safe and in stable condition, and the incident is currently under research .
A spokesperson for the US Central Command, Captain Tim Hawkins, also acknowledged that an F-35 made an emergency landing during the mission. However, the US has not officially confirmed that the damage was caused by an Iranian attack.Reports by Fox News and The Times of India also mention the emergency landing of the aircraft.
Upon closely examining the viral video, we noticed several inconsistencies indicating possible AI manipulation. We then analyzed the clip using Hive Moderation, which indicated nearly a 79 percent probability that the video is AI-generated. The analysis also suggests that it was likely created using Google’s AI video generation tools (Veo).
Conclusion:
The viral video claiming to show Iran shooting down a US F-35 fighter jet is AI-generated and not real. While Iran has claimed to have targeted a US F-35, and the US has confirmed an emergency landing during a mission, there is no official confirmation that the aircraft was shot down by Iran.
