#FactCheck: A viral claim suggests that by turning on Advance Chat Privacy, Meta AI can avoid reading Whatsapp chats.
Executive Summary:
A viral social media video falsely claims that Meta AI reads all WhatsApp group and individual chats by default, and that enabling “Advanced Chat Privacy” can stop this. On performing reverse image search we found a blog post of WhatsApp which was posted in the month of April 2025 which claims that all personal and group chats remain protected with end to end (E2E) encryption, accessible only to the sender and recipient. Meta AI can interact only with messages explicitly sent to it or tagged with @MetaAI. The “Advanced Chat Privacy” feature is designed to prevent external sharing of chats, not to restrict Meta AI access. Therefore, the viral claim is misleading and factually incorrect, aimed at creating unnecessary fear among users.
Claim:
A viral social media video [archived link] alleges that Meta AI is actively accessing private conversations on WhatsApp, including both group and individual chats, due to the current default settings. The video further claims that users can safeguard their privacy by enabling the “Advanced Chat Privacy” feature, which purportedly prevents such access.
Fact Check:
Upon doing reverse image search from the keyframe of the viral video, we found a WhatsApp blog post from April 2025 that explains new privacy features to help users control their chats and data. It states that Meta AI can only see messages directly sent to it or tagged with @Meta AI. All personal and group chats are secured with end-to-end encryption, so only the sender and receiver can read them. The "Advanced Chat Privacy" setting helps stop chats from being shared outside WhatsApp, like blocking exports or auto-downloads, but it doesn’t affect Meta AI since it’s already blocked from reading chats. This shows the viral claim is false and meant to confuse people.
Conclusion:
The claim that Meta AI is reading WhatsApp Group Chats and that enabling the "Advance Chat Privacy" setting can prevent this is false and misleading. WhatsApp has officially confirmed that Meta AI only accesses messages explicitly shared with it, and all chats remain protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring privacy. The "Advanced Chat Privacy" setting does not relate to Meta AI access, as it is already restricted by default.
- Claim: Viral social media video claims that WhatsApp Group Chats are being read by Meta AI due to current settings, and enabling the "Advance Chat Privacy" setting can prevent this.
- Claimed On: Social Media
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
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Introduction
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued an advisory on March 1 2024, urging platforms to prevent bias, discrimination, and threats to electoral integrity by using AI, generative AI, LLMs, or other algorithms. The advisory requires that AI models deemed unreliable or under-tested in India must obtain explicit government permission before deployment. While leveraging Artificial Intelligence models, Generative AI, software, or algorithms in their computer resources, Intermediaries and platforms need to ensure that they prevent bias, discrimination, and threats to electoral integrity. As Intermediaries are required to follow due diligence obligations outlined under “Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code)Rules, 2021, updated as of 06.04.2023”. This advisory is issued to urge the intermediaries to abide by the IT rules and regulations and compliance therein.
Key Highlights of the Advisories
- Intermediaries and platforms must ensure that users of Artificial Intelligence models/LLM/Generative AI, software, or algorithms do not allow users to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update, or share unlawful content, as per Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules.
- The government emphasises intermediaries and platforms to prevent bias or discrimination in their use of Artificial Intelligence models, LLMs, and Generative AI, software, or algorithms, ensuring they do not threaten the integrity of the electoral process.
- The government requires explicit permission to use deemed under-testing or unreliable AI models, LLMs, or algorithms on the Indian internet. Further, it must be deployed with proper labelling of potential fallibility or unreliability. Further, users can be informed through a consent popup mechanism.
- The advisory specifies that all users should be well informed about the consequences of dealing with unlawful information on platforms, including disabling access, removing non-compliant information, suspension or termination of access or usage rights of the user to their user account and imposing punishment under applicable law. It entails that users are clearly informed, through terms of services and user agreements, about the consequences of engaging with unlawful information on the platform.
- The advisory also indicates measures advocating to combat deepfakes or misinformation. The advisory necessitates identifying synthetically created content across various formats, advising platforms to employ labels, unique identifiers, or metadata to ensure transparency. Furthermore, the advisory mandates the disclosure of software details and tracing the first originator of such synthetically created content.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for IT, specified that
“Advisory is aimed at the Significant platforms, and permission seeking from Meity is only for large platforms and will not apply to startups. Advisory is aimed at untested AI platforms from deploying on the Indian Internet. Process of seeking permission , labelling & consent based disclosure to user about untested platforms is insurance policy to platforms who can otherwise be sued by consumers. Safety & Trust of India's Internet is a shared and common goal for Govt, users and Platforms.”
Conclusion
MeitY's advisory sets the stage for a more regulated Al landscape. The Indian government requires explicit permission for the deployment of under-testing or unreliable Artificial Intelligence models on the Indian Internet. Alongside intermediaries, the advisory also applies to digital platforms that incorporate Al elements. Advisory is aimed at significant platforms and will not apply to startups. This move safeguards users and fosters innovation by promoting responsible AI practices, paving the way for a more secure and inclusive digital environment.
References
- https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/03/04/meity_ai_advisory_1_march.pdf
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/govts-ai-advisory-will-not-apply-to-startups-mos-it-rajeev-chandrasekhar/articleshow/108197797.cms?from=mdr
- https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Advisory%2015March%202024.pdf
Executive Summary
A video showing armed personnel detaining individuals on board a ship is being widely shared on social media with the claim that Indian Navy’s MARCOS captured 35 Somali pirates during a recent anti-piracy operation. However, research by the CyberPeace Research Wing found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is actually from the joint military exercise ‘LAMITIYE 2026’, held in Seychelles in March, involving the Indian Armed Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces.
Claim
Users on X (formerly Twitter) shared the clip with captions such as: “Indian Navy MARCOS captured 35 Somali pirates,” presenting it as footage of a recent anti-piracy mission.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search. This led us to the same video posted on March 20 by a Facebook page named “Defence Squad.” The caption identified the visuals as showing Indian Navy MARCOS and the Seychelles Defence Forces’ Special Operations Unit during the joint military exercise LAMITIYE 2026.
Link:
- https://www.facebook.com/reel/1263962865936234
- https://www.facebook.com/reel/1263962865936234
Further keyword searches led to multiple news reports carrying screenshots from the same video. These reports confirmed that the 11th India-Seychelles joint military exercise, LAMITIYE 2026, was conducted in Seychelles from March 9 to March 20.
We did not find any recent reports about the Indian Navy capturing Somali pirates. However, in March 2024, the Indian Navy had captured 35 Somali pirates who had hijacked a bulk carrier and taken hostages. The suspects were later handed over to Mumbai Police for legal proceedings.
Conclusion
The viral claim is misleading. The video being circulated as footage of an anti-piracy operation by the Indian Navy does not show the capture of Somali pirates. Instead, it is from the India-Seychelles joint military exercise ‘LAMITIYE 2026’, conducted in March with the participation of the Indian Armed Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces. While the Indian Navy had indeed captured 35 Somali pirates in a separate incident in March 2024, there are no credible or recent reports linking such an operation to the viral video. The clip has been taken out of context and is being shared with a false narrative, leading to misinformation about a routine military exercise.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to grow in importance in today’s world not just as technological advancement but also becoming the backbone of economic growth, national security, scientific research, and digital governance. However, AI innovations of such a sophisticated kind require significant computing power that is currently only within the reach of a few countries. Against this backdrop, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have taken a significant step by partnering to build one of India's most powerful AI supercomputing infrastructures. What began as a discussion about digital infrastructure under the ambit of the new found India-UAE tech relationship, has come to a stage that is likely to usher in new AI-centric developments in the country, while bolstering the partnership between India and UAE.
From Vision to Concrete Action
This collaboration stemmed from the strengthening relationship between India and the UAE. The goal is to focus more on digital cooperation after the 2023 G20 Summit held in India. During this period, Artificial Intelligence, digital public infrastructure, and strong digital ecosystems became key topics of discussion between the two countries. This partnership received formal recognition with the India-UAE Digital Infrastructure Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2024. This agreement identified Artificial Intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC), cloud infrastructure, and digital innovation as priority areas for cooperation.
The initiative has now moved from policy talks to actual implementation. In February 2026, the UAE announced plans to deploy an 8-exaflop AI Super Computing Cluster in partnership between CDAC and in May 2026, when our Hon’ble Prime Minister visited UAE, both governments formalized the commercial framework for establishing the system, marking one of the largest AI infrastructure collaborations between the two countries. It was one the significant agendas discussed between the two countries among others.
What Does the Agreement Include?
The agreement between the countries is for the deployment of ‘Condor Galaxy India supercomputer’, which is an AI supercomputing cluster designed specifically for complex and advanced artificial intelligence workloads. Some of the major points of agreement include:
- Deployment of an 8 Exaflop Super Computing Cluster, meaning it can perform up to eight quintillion (8 × 10¹⁸) AI-related calculations per second. This would place it among the world's most powerful AI supercomputing systems.
- This project will be implemented by G42, which is an Abu Dhabi-based AI technology company, in partnership with India's Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
- The computing infrastructure will utilise 64 Cerebras CS-3 AI systems, built using wafer-scale processor technology designed for large AI models.
- G42 and C-DAC will jointly oversee installation, deployment, operation, and maintenance of the infrastructure.
- The supercomputer will support India's IndiaAI Mission, strengthening domestic AI research and innovation. It is also a step in the direction of India’ AI mission through mindful collaboration.
- Notably, the system will be physically located within India and operate under Indian governance frameworks and laws ensuring that sensitive datasets remain under India’s jurisdiction.
While beyond the infrastructure, the partnership also aims for research efforts within fields like healthcare & genomics, climate change modeling & optimization of energy, geointelligence, research studies & government usages, as well as growing startups in AI. It is hoped that the computing infrastructure will be made accessible to researchers, academic bodies, government organizations & startups from both nations to foster collaborative research.
How Are India and the UAE Collaborating?
The partnership involves more than simply sharing the hardware, the two countries are entering into a multiyear technology partnership where each brings different but complementary expertise. On one hand India offers the knowledge and experience of C-DAC, a large number of AI engineers, startups, academics and researchers, and the IndiaAI Mission, a framework to enable access to the advanced computing infrastructure needed to use these researchers.
In return, the UAE offers investment in AI infrastructure and expertise in global AI cloud infrastructure, and sovereign AI platform development, from AI cloud infrastructure company G42, a company that has deployed large AI computing clusters as part of the Condor Galaxy network. Among the biggest names involved in the new initiative is also Cerebras Systems, the artificial intelligence (AI) computing company that will supply the AI chips for the supercomputer. The leading designer of AI compute technology, Cerebras develops the world's fastest AI hardware. In particular, the flagship Wafer Scale Engine (WSE-3), a revolutionary single chip that is the largest AI processor in the world, offers significant gains in speed and computational efficiency. This partnership will spur a joint R&D effort. That allows both India and the UAE to harness their respective knowledge and resources to accelerate better results for all stakeholders in various domains.
This collaboration will enable joint research and development (R&D), allowing both countries to combine their expertise and resources to produce more effective outcomes that are mutually beneficial across multiple sectors.
Cyber and Digital Security Benefits
From a cybersecurity perspective, this partnership is particularly significant.
- Moving towards AI Sovereignty
Possessing the infrastructure within India can ensure that sensitive government, healthcare, research, and enterprise data remains within Indian jurisdiction. This will reduce dependence on foreign cloud infrastructure while improving regulatory control over sensitive and critical datasets.
- Modernising Cyber Defence
Having a high-performance computing system will improve our cyber defence through AI-based threat detection, malware flagging, vulnerability assessment and cyber testing of safeguarding critical infrastructure. These are necessary in current times considering the growing capabilities and mode of cyber attacks.
- Secure AI Development
Countries worldwide are moving toward "Sovereign AI" which is a goal of developing AI systems within nationally governed infrastructure to protect sensitive information. The India-UAE partnership directly supports this objective by combining national governance and world-class computing capability development.
- Economic Benefits for India
The project offers several long-term economic advantages. First, easing the entry barrier for startups and researchers in India as they are often reliant on expensive overseas cloud computing services. Second, enabling availability of more computing power that can accelerate innovation across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, fintech, education, and logistics. Third, stronger AI computing infrastructure could foster the inflow of global capital into India’s tech ecosystem by provisioning requisite resources to run frontier AI computations. Finally, the initiative supports India's ambition of becoming a global AI innovation hub under the IndiaAI Mission by enabling domestic development of advanced AI models rather than relying solely on imported technologies that will in long-term make India a sought out destination as an AI-hub.
Why the UAE Benefits?
In the case of the UAE, the partnership further helps Abu Dhabi's vision to become a global leader in artificial intelligence by extending the reach of G42's AI capabilities internationally, while strengthening ties with one of the world’s leading digital economies as a trusted strategic technology partner. In harnessing India's extensive talent base, research communities, and growing AI capabilities, the UAE unlocks opportunities for scale and innovation, while also cementing its status as a dependable technological enabler across emerging economies. The project is a part of the UAE’s long-standing agenda to move away from hydrocarbons and towards growth in areas such as AI, digital infrastructure, and technologies of the future.
Conclusion
The India-UAE supercomputer collaboration is a step in the direction of being self-dependent in terms of having a strong computing infrastructure base in India. This also changes the outlook of international technology partnerships from traditional trade relationships to collaborations focused on AI, digital infrastructure, research, and strategic innovation. AI is becoming a defining factor in economic competitiveness and national resilience on a global scale and the access to sovereign computing infrastructure will increasingly shape our influence in world markets. By uniting UAE’s investment capacity and AI infrastructure expertise and India’s advantages. If successfully implemented, the collaboration could serve as a model of what cooperation toward sovereign and trusted AI can entail.
REFERENCES
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2006207®=48&lang=2
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2261385®=48&lang=1
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2261393®=48&lang=1
