#FactCheck: Fake video falsely claims FM Sitharaman endorsed investment scheme

Introduction

In a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already changing the creation and consumption of content at a breathtaking pace, distinguishing between genuine media and false or doctored content is a serious issue of international concern. AI-generated content in the form of deepfakes, synthetic text and photorealistic images is being used to disseminate misinformation, shape public opinion and commit fraud. As a response, governments, tech companies and regulatory bodies are exploring ‘watermarking’ as a key mechanism to promote transparency and accountability in AI-generated media. Watermarking embeds identifiable information into content to indicate its artificial origin. 

Government Strategies Worldwide

Governments worldwide have pursued different strategies to address AI-generated media through watermarking standards. In the US, President Biden's 2023 Executive Order on AI directed the Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish clear guidelines for digital watermarking of AI-generated content. This action puts a big responsibility on large technology firms to put identifiers in media produced by generative models. These identifiers should help fight misinformation and address digital trust.

The European Union, in its Artificial Intelligence Act of 2024, requires AI-generated content to be labelled. Article 50 of the Act specifically demands that developers indicate whenever users engage with synthetic content. In addition, the EU is a proponent of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), an organisation that produces secure metadata standards to track the origin and changes of digital content.

India is currently in the process of developing policy frameworks to address AI and synthetic content, guided by judicial decisions that are helping shape the approach. In 2024, the Delhi High Court directed the central government to appoint members for a committee responsible for regulating deepfakes. Such moves indicate the government's willingness to regulate AI-generated content. 

China, has already implemented mandatory watermarking on all deep synthesis content. Digital identifiers must be embedded in AI media by service providers, and China is one of the first countries to adopt stern watermarking legislation.

Understanding the Technical Feasibility

Watermarking AI media means inserting recognisable markers into digital material. They can be perceptible, such as logos or overlays or imperceptible, such as cryptographic tags or metadata. Sophisticated methods such as Google's SynthID apply imperceptible pixel-level changes that remain intact against standard image manipulation such as resizing or compression. Likewise, C2PA metadata standards enable the user to track the source and provenance of an item of content.

Nonetheless, watermarking is not an infallible process. Most watermarking methods are susceptible to tampering. Aforementioned adversaries with expertise, for instance, can use cropping editing or AI software to delete visible watermarks or remove metadata. Further, the absence of interoperability between different watermarking systems and platforms hampers their effectiveness. Scalability is also an issue enacting and authenticating watermarks for billions of units of online content necessitates huge computational efforts and routine policy enforcement across platforms. Scientists are currently working on solutions such as blockchain-based content authentication and zero-knowledge watermarking, which maintain authenticity without sacrificing privacy. These new techniques have potential for overcoming technical deficiencies and making watermarking more secure.

Challenges in Enforcement

Though increasing agreement exists for watermarking, implementation of such policies is still a major issue. Jurisdictional constraints prevent enforceability globally. A watermarking policy within one nation might not extend to content created or stored in another, particularly across decentralised or anonymous domains. This creates an exigency for international coordination and the development of worldwide digital trust standards. While it is a welcome step that platforms like Meta, YouTube, and TikTok have begun flagging AI-generated content, there remains a pressing need for a standardised policy that ensures consistency and accountability across all platforms. Voluntary compliance alone is insufficient without clear global mandates.

User literacy is also a significant hurdle. Even when content is properly watermarked, users might not see or comprehend its meaning. This aligns with issues of dealing with misinformation, wherein it's not sufficient just to mark off fake content, users need to be taught how to think critically about the information they're using. Public education campaigns, digital media literacy and embedding watermarking labels within user-friendly UI elements are necessary to ensure this technology is actually effective.

Balancing Privacy and Transparency

While watermarking serves to achieve digital transparency, it also presents privacy issues. In certain instances, watermarking might necessitate the embedding of metadata that will disclose the source or identity of the content producer. This threatens journalists, whistleblowers, activists, and artists utilising AI tools for creative or informative reasons. Governments have a responsibility to ensure that watermarking norms do not violate freedom of expression or facilitate surveillance. The solution is to achieve a balance by employing privacy-protection watermarking strategies that verify the origin of the content without revealing personally identifiable data. "Zero-knowledge proofs" in cryptography may assist in creating watermarking systems that guarantee authentication without undermining user anonymity.

On the transparency side, watermarking can be an effective antidote to misinformation and manipulation. For example, during the COVID-19 crisis, misinformation spread by AI on vaccines, treatments and public health interventions caused widespread impact on public behaviour and policy uptake. Watermarked content would have helped distinguish between authentic sources and manipulated media and protected public health efforts accordingly.

Best Practices and Emerging Solutions

Several programs and frameworks are at the forefront of watermarking norms. Adobe, Microsoft and others' collaborative C2PA framework puts tamper-proof metadata into images and videos, enabling complete traceability of content origin. SynthID from Google is already implemented on its Imagen text-to-image model and secretly watermarks images generated by AI without any susceptibility to tampering. The Partnership on AI (PAI) is also taking a leadership role by building out ethical standards for synthetic content, including standards around provenance and watermarking. These frameworks become guides for governments seeking to introduce equitable, effective policies. In addition, India's new legal mechanisms on misinformation and deepfake regulation present a timely point to integrate watermarking standards consistent with global practices while safeguarding civil liberties.

Conclusion

Watermarking regulations for synthetic media content are an essential step toward creating a safer and more credible digital world. As artificial media becomes increasingly indistinguishable from authentic content, the demand for transparency, origin, and responsibility increases. Governments, platforms, and civil society organisations will have to collaborate to deploy watermarking mechanisms that are technically feasible, compliant and privacy-friendly. India is especially at a turning point, with courts calling for action and regulatory agencies starting to take on the challenge. Empowering themselves with global lessons, applying best-in-class watermarking platforms and promoting public awareness can enable the nation to acquire a level of resilience against digital deception. 

References

1. https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/
2. https://www.cyberpeace.org/resources/blogs/delhi-high-court-directs-centre-to-nominate-members-for-deepfake-committee
3.  https://c2pa.org
4. https://www.cyberpeace.org/resources/blogs/misinformations-impact-on-public-health-policy-decisions
5.  https://deepmind.google/technologies/synthid/
6. https://www.imatag.com/blog/china-regulates-ai-generated-content-towards-a-new-global-standard-for-transparency

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Introduction

Recent advances in space exploration and technology have increased the need for space laws to control the actions of governments and corporate organisations. India has been attempting to create a robust legal framework to oversee its space activities because it is a prominent player in the international space business. In this article, we’ll examine India’s current space regulations and compare them to the situation elsewhere in the world.

Space Laws in India

India started space exploration with Aryabhtta, the first satellite, and Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian astronaut, and now has a prominent presence in space as many international satellites are now launched by India. NASA and ISRO work closely on various projects

India currently lacks any space-related legislation. Only a few laws and regulations, such as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Act of 1969 and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) Guidelines of 2011, regulate space-related operations. However, more than these rules and regulations are essential to control India’s expanding space sector. India is starting to gain traction as a prospective player in the global commercial space sector. Authorisation, contracts, dispute resolution, licencing, data processing and distribution related to earth observation services, certification of space technology, insurance, legal difficulties related to launch services, and stamp duty are just a few of the topics that need to be discussed. The necessary statute and laws need to be updated to incorporate space law-related matters into domestic laws.

India’s Space Presence

Space research activities were initiated in India during the early 1960s when satellite applications were in experimental stages, even in the United States. With the live transmission of the Tokyo Olympic Games across the Pacific by the American Satellite ‘Syncom-3’ demonstrating the power of communication satellites, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of the Indian space programme, quickly recognised the benefits of space technologies for India.

As a first step, the Department of Atomic Energy formed the INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) under the leadership of Dr Sarabhai and Dr Ramanathan in 1962. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was formed on August 15, 1969. The prime objective of ISRO is to develop space technology and its application to various national needs. It is one of the six largest space agencies in the world. The Department of Space (DOS) and the Space Commission were set up in 1972, and ISRO was brought under DOS on June 1, 1972.

Since its inception, the Indian space programme has been orchestrated well. It has three distinct elements: satellites for communication and remote sensing, the space transportation system and application programmes. Two major operational systems have been established – the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) for telecommunication, television broadcasting, and meteorological services and the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) for monitoring and managing natural resources and Disaster Management Support.

Global Scenario

The global space race has been on and ever since the moon landing in 1969, and it has now transformed into the new cold war among developed and developing nations. The interests and assets of a nation in space need to be safeguarded by the help of effective and efficient policies and internationally ratified laws. All nations with a presence in space do not believe in good for all policy, thus, preventive measures need to be incorporated into the legal system. A thorough legal framework for space activities is being developed by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The “Outer Space Treaty,” a collection of five international agreements on space law, establishes the foundation of international space law. The agreements address topics such as the peaceful use of space, preventing space from becoming militarised, and who is responsible for damage caused by space objects. Well-established space laws govern both the United States and the United Kingdom. The National Aeronautics and Space Act, which was passed in the US in 1958 and established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to oversee national space programmes, is in place there. The Outer Space Act of 1986 governs how UK citizens and businesses can engage in space activity.

Conclusion

India must create a thorough legal system to govern its space endeavours. In the space sector, there needs to be a legal framework to avoid ambiguity and confusion, which may have detrimental effects. The Pacific use of space for the benefit of humanity should be covered by domestic space legislation in India. The overall scenario demonstrates the requirement for a clearly defined legal framework for the international acknowledgement of a nation’s space activities. India is fifth in the world for space technology, which is an impressive accomplishment, and a strong legal system will help India maintain its place in the space business.

Executive Summary

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A video circulating on social media claims that a Pakistani man misbehaved with TV anchor Rubika Liyaquat during a live television debate. Users sharing the clip alleged that the Pakistani participant silenced the anchor on live TV.

However, research by CyberPeace found the viral claim to be false and revealed that the video being shared on social media is edited. In the original video, published on YouTube on November 26, 2025, the alleged Pakistani man was not present in the TV debate.

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Claim

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On February 13, 2026, a user shared the viral clip on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that the anchor was insulted during the debate and was left speechless. Another user on February 11, 2026, asked News18 India to verify the video and questioned who allowed such behaviour towards the journalist on air.

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• https://x.com/VoiceOfTribals_/status/2022126386429989052?s=20 
• https://archive.ph/CJjpq 

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Fact Check: 

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To verify the claim, we extracted key frames from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the research, we found the full version of the debate uploaded on the official YouTube channel of News18 India on November 26, 2025. The nearly 40-minute original broadcast featured anchor Rubika Liyaquat along with panelists Zafar Islam, Varun Purohit, Prateek Kumar, Arvind Kumar Vajpayee, Tausif Ahmed Khan, and Aziz Khan. However, the person seen misbehaving with the anchor in the viral clip was not present in the original video.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeqymRmjkdg 

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Upon carefully reviewing the footage, we located the actual segment around the 25-minute 40-second mark. In this portion, the anchor can be heard asking panelist Tausif Ahmed Khan to leave the show, using the same words heard in the viral clip. However, the original broadcast does not feature any Pakistani participant or any individual named “Nadeem Shahzad.”

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Conclusion

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Our research found that the viral claim is false. The circulating video has been edited, and the alleged Pakistani participant does not appear in the original debate uploaded on November 26, 2025.

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