#Factcheck-Viral Image of Men Riding an Elephant Next to a Tiger in Bihar is Misleading

Introduction:

Cybercriminals can hack your phone using or exploiting some public charging stations such as at airports, Malls, hotel rooms, etc. When you plug in your phone or laptop devices into a power charger using USB, you may be plugging into a hacker. Juice jacking poses a security threat at public charging stations at airports, shopping malls and other public places that provide free charging stations for mobile, tablet, and laptop devices. 

Cybercriminals can either hack into the public charging spot or download malware or viruses through the USB port into your system. When you plug your phone, laptop, tablet or other such devices for charging at public charging stations, it can download malware to your phone and other such devices, and then hackers can access your personal information or passwords, It is really a problem since hackers can even get access to your bank account for unauthorised transactions by accessing your passwords and personal information. 

Hence it is important to think twice before using public charging spots, as it might lead to serious consequences such as malware, data leak and hacking. Hacking can gain unauthorised access to your personal information by installing malware in your device and they might monitor your device by installing monitor software or spyware to your device. This scam is referred to as juice jacking. 

FBI issued an advisory  warning about using public charging stations:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), In May 2023, advised users to avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels, or shopping centres. The warning comes as threat actors have figured out ways to inject malware into devices attached to publicly installed USB ports.

Updated Security measures:

We all must have seen public charging points such as airports, shopping malls, metro, and other public places that provide charging stations for mobile devices. But it can be a threat to your stored data on your device. During the charging process, your data can be transferred which can ultimately lead to a data breach. Hence utmost care should be taken to protect your information and data. iPhones and other devices have security measures in place, When you plug your phone into a charging power source, a pop-up appears to ask permission to allow or disallow the transfer of Data. There is also a default setting in the phones where data transfer is disabled. In the latest models, when you plug your device into a new port or a computer, a pop-up appears asking whether the device is trusted or not. 

Two major risks involved in the threat of Juice jacking: 

1. Malware installation: – Malware apps can be used by bad actors to clone your phone data to their device, Your personal data is transferred leading to a data breach. Some types of malware include Trojans, adware, spyware, crypto-miners, etc. Once this malware is injected into your device, It is easy for cybercriminals to extort a ransom to restore the information they have unauthorized access to.
2. Data Theft: It is important to give emphasis to the question of whether your data is protected at public charging stations? When we use a USB cable and connect to a public charging station port, cyber-criminals by injecting malware into the charging port system, can inject the malware into your device or your data can be transferred to the bad actors. USB cords can be exploited by cybercriminals to commit malicious activities.

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Best practices: 

• Avoid using public charging stations: Using public charging stations is not safe. It is very possible for a cybercriminal to load malware into a charging station with a USB cord. Hence It is advisable not to use public charging spots, try to make sure you charge your phone, and laptop devices in your car, at home or office so it will help you to avoid public charging stations.
• Alternative method of charging: You can carry a power bank along with you to avoid the use of public charging stations.
• Lock your phone: Lock your phone once connected to the charging port. Locking your device once connected to the charging station will prevent it from being able to sync or transfer data.
• Software update: It is important to enable and use your device’s software security measures. Mobile devices have certain technical protections against such vulnerabilities and security threats. 
• Review Settings: Disable your device’s option to automatically transfer data when a charging cable is connected. This is the default on iOS devices. Android users should disable this option in the Settings app. If your device displays a prompt asking you to “trust this computer,” it means you are connected to another device, not simply a power outlet. Deny the permission, as trusting the computer will enable data transfers to and from your device.  So when you plug your device into a USB port and a prompt appears asking permission to "share data" or “trust this computer” or “charge only,” always select “charge only.”

Conclusion:

Cybercriminals or bad actors exploit public charging stations. There have been incidents where malware was planted in the system by the use of a USB cord, During the charging process, the USB cord opens a path into your device that a cybercriminal can exploit, which means the devices can exchange data. That's called juice jacking. Hence avoid using public charging stations, our safety is in our hands and it is significantly important to give priority to best practices and stay protected in the evolving digital landscape. 

References: 

• https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/fbi-issue-warning-about-juice-jacking-when-using-free-cell-phone-charging-kiosks/
• https://www.comparitech.com/blog/information-security/juice-jacking/#:~:text=Avoid%20public%20charging%20stations,guaranteed%20success%20with%20this%20method
• https://www.fcc.gov/juice-jacking-tips-to-avoid-it

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Introduction

In the dynamic intersection of pop culture and technology, an unexpected drama unfolded in the virtual world, where the iconic Taylor Swift account has been temporarily blocked on X . The incident sent a shockwave through the online community, sparking debates and speculation about the misuse of deepfake technology.

Taylor Swift's searches on social media platform X have been restored after a temporary blockage was lifted following outrage over her explicit AI images. The social media site, formerly known as Twitter, temporarily restricted searches for Taylor Swift as a temporary measure to address a flood of AI-generated deepfake images that went viral across X and other platforms. 

X has mentioned it is actively removing the images and taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for spreading them. While Swift has not spoken publicly about the fake images, a report stated that her team is "considering legal action" against the site which published the AI-generated images.

The Social Media Frenzy

As news of temporary blockages spread like wildfire across social media platforms, users engaged in a frenzy of reactions. The fake picture was re-shared 24,000 times, with tens of thousands of users liking the post. This engagement supercharged the deepfake image of Taylor Swift, and by the time the moderators woke up, it was too late. Hundreds of accounts began reposting it, which started an online trend. Taylor Swift's AI video reached an even larger audience. The source of the photograph wasn't even known to begin with. The revelations are causing outrage. American lawmakers from across party lines have spoken. One of them said they were astounded, while another said they were shocked. 

AI Deepfake Controversy

The deepfake controversy is not new. There are lot of cases such as Rashmika Mandana, Sachin Tendulkar, and now Taylor Swift have been the victims of such misuse of Deepfake technology. The world is facing a concern about the misuse of AI or deepfake technology. With no proactive measures in place, this threat will only worsen affecting privacy concerns for individuals. This incident has opened a debate among users and industry experts on the ethical use of AI in the digital age and its privacy concerns.

Why has the Incident raised privacy concerns?

The emergence of Taylor Swift's deepfake has raised privacy concerns for several reasons.

1. Misuse of Personal Imagery:  Deepfake uses AI and its algorithms to superimpose one person’s face onto another person’s body, the algorithms are processed again and again till the desired results are obtained. In the case of celebrities or higher-position people, it's very easy for crooks to get images and generate a deepfake.  In the case of Taylor Swift, her images are misused. The misuse of Images can have serious consequences for an individual's reputation and privacy.

2. False narrative and Manipulation:  Deepfake opens the door for public reaction and spreads false narratives, causing harm to reputation, and affecting personal and professional life. Such false narratives through deepfakes may influence public opinion and damage reputation making it challenging for the person to control it. 

3. Invasion of Privacy: Creating a deepfake involves gathering a significant amount of information about their targets without their consent. The use of such personal information for the creation of AI-generated content without permission raises serious privacy concerns. 

4. Difficulty in differentiation: Advanced Deepfake technology makes it difficult for people to differentiate between genuine and manipulated content. 

5. Potential for Exploitation: Deepfake could be exploited for financial gain or malicious motives of the cyber crooks. These videos do harm the reputation, damage the brand name, and partnerships, and even hamper the integrity of the digital platform upon which the content is posted, they also raise questions about the platform’s policy or should we say against the zero-tolerance policy on posting the non-consensual nude images.

Is there any law that could safeguard Internet users?

Legislation concerning deepfakes differs by nation and often spans from demanding disclosure of deepfakes to forbidding harmful or destructive material. Speaking about various countries, the USA including its 10 states like California, Texas, and Illinois have passed criminal legislation prohibiting deepfake. Lawmakers are advocating for comparable federal statutes. A Democrat from New York has presented legislation requiring producers to digitally watermark deepfake content. The United States does not criminalise such deepfakes but does have state and federal laws addressing privacy, fraud, and harassment.

In 2019, China enacted legislation requiring the disclosure of deepfake usage in films and media. Sharing deepfake pornography became outlawed in the United Kingdom in 2023 as part of the Online Safety Act.

To avoid abuse, South Korea implemented legislation in 2020 criminalising the dissemination of deepfakes that endanger the public interest, carrying penalties of up to five years in jail or fines of up to 50 million won ($43,000).

In 2023, the Indian government issued an advisory to social media & internet companies to protect against deepfakes that violate India'sinformation technology laws. India is on its way to coming up with dedicated legislation to deal with this subject.

Looking at the present situation and considering the bigger picture, the world urgently needs strong legislation to combat the misuse of deepfake technology.

Lesson learned

The recent blockage of Taylor Swift's searches on Elon Musk's X has sparked debates on responsible technology use, privacy protection, and the symbiotic relationship between celebrities and the digital era. The incident highlights the importance of constant attention, ethical concerns, and the potential dangers of AI in the digital landscape. Despite challenges, the digital world offers opportunities for growth and learning.

Conclusion

Such deepfake incidents highlight privacy concerns and necessitate a combination of technological solutions, legal frameworks, and public awareness to safeguard privacy and dignity in the digital world as technology becomes more complex.

References:

• https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/taylor-swift-searches-restored-on-elon-musks-x-after-brief-blockage-over-ai-deepfakes-101706630104607.html
• https://readwrite.com/x-blocks-taylor-swift-searches-as-explicit-deepfakes-of-singer-go-viral/

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Introduction
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In April 2026, Anthropic revealed Claude Mythos, an artificial intelligence application capable of finding security flaws in computer networks more effectively than human beings. The corporation claimed to have found hundreds of thousands of substantially serious vulnerabilities in established desktop operating systems and web-based browsers that have not been used for at least 20 years. This news has greatly alarmed those responsible for leading financial organisations, banks, and governments throughout the world. Nevertheless, this news demonstrates a much larger problem: we do not have enough cybersecurity professionals trained to do this kind of work. At the current estimate, there are 4.8 million cyber security professionals short of what is needed globally. There is a need to develop different kinds of workforce training programs to help prepare these professionals as we continue to see the emergence of new AI technologies.

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What Is Claude Mythos ?
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Anthropic created Claude Mythos as part of its Claude AI system, competing against ChatGPT and Google Gemini. In April 2026, expert testing revealed Mythos excelled at identifying problems in legacy code and suggested exploitation methods. It found a vulnerability that had existed for 27 years. Because of these advanced capabilities, Anthropic restricted access through “Project Glasswing,” giving it only to 12 major tech companies and 40 organizations managing critical software. Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne called it an “unknown unknown.” Andrew Bailey of the Bank of England said regulators needed to examine what Mythos could mean for financial attacks. The European Union raised concerns. India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman warned at SEBI’s Foundation Day on April 25, 2026, that cybersecurity is the single most pressing challenge facing markets today. She stated a single successful cyberattack on a major exchange or large broker could disrupt markets nationally and shake public confidence for years. Sitharaman emphasized that AI tools make attacks faster, more adaptive, and autonomous, capable of discovering system vulnerabilities and manipulating code.

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The Real Problem: Discovery Versus Fixing
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Mythos highlights a fundamental mismatch in cybersecurity. Finding a vulnerability does not guarantee it will be fixed. Organizations face challenges patching systems. Many use obsolete technology, and updates can break dependent components. Organizations in developing nations often lack financial resources for repairs or downtime. Critical systems like hospitals, banks, and power grids cannot go offline. Before Mythos, human hackers found vulnerabilities slowly. Now AI tools find weaknesses faster than they can be fixed, creating a dangerous gap. Ciaran Martin, former head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, explained that Mythos is “a really good hacker” against unprotected systems. Organizations following basic security practices—regular updates, strong passwords, network protection, trained staff can likely defend against it. The UK AI Safety Institute concluded Mythos poses the biggest threat to poorly defended systems, noting: “We cannot say for sure whether Mythos Preview would be able to attack well-defended systems.”

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The Workforce Challenge
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The Mythos announcement exposes the real problem: we lack enough trained cybersecurity workers. There is a global shortage of 4.8 million workers against a current workforce of 5.5 million. In AI security specifically, 34 percent of needed skills are missing. But the harder problem is that AI is changing needed skills. Entry-level jobs monitoring security alerts are being automated. These were traditional career starting points. Young people learned basic skills and moved to advanced roles. Now these positions disappear while new AI security jobs emerge for which nobody has training. Organizations cannot hire fast enough for new AI roles because few people have these skills. This leads to a vicious cycle. With fewer entry-level positions available, there will be fewer young adults entering the job market which results in even fewer workers with this skill set; thus, the shortage of qualified applicants increases; this thereby increases organizations’ vulnerability. Without action taken immediately, this issue will continue to worsen 

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Way Forward
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1. Clarify What Skills We Need

Governments and industry must work together to define what cybersecurity workers need in an AI world. Currently, aspiring professionals study networking, software, and vulnerability finding, but AI security training barely exists. Governments should work with universities and companies to clarify needed skills: understanding what AI tools can and cannot do in security, finding and fixing AI system problems.

2. Support Workers Who Lose Jobs To Automation

Workers who find themselves losing their jobs due to automation will require government support. All too often without an alternative, these skilled and trained workers will leave their profession forever. The government will need to provide funding for training of displaced employees, support for those changing careers to become cyber security professionals.

3. Create Clear Rules For AI Security Tools

When companies create powerful security tools, governments must understand their capabilities and risks. Companies should be required to thoroughly test tools before release, clearly explain what tools can do and their limitations, and explain safety and misuse prevention plans. Governments should monitor actual tool usage, not simply trust voluntary compliance.

4. Focus On Basic Security First

Most attacks do not need advanced AI tools. They succeed because organizations have not implemented basic security. Some never update software, train employees, use strong passwords, protect data properly, or test defenses. Governments should require organizations, especially those managing critical systems, to implement these basics.

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Conclusion
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Claude Mythos matters not because it is a weapon of destruction, but because it forces hard questions: Do we have enough skilled workers? Are our systems well-protected? The answer is no. We face a shortage of 4.8 million cybersecurity workers and lack AI security training. Yet this is also an opportunity. Governments can invest in training, strengthen defenses, and create clear rules for AI security tools. Governments, organizations and educational institutions must collaborate to create viable Cybersecurity career pathways. We can act through either creating panic or creating a trained and prepared workforce to meet today’s challenges. The time is now.

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References 
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1. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk1py1jgzko
2. https://red.anthropic.com/2026/mythos-preview/ 
3. https://www.anthropic.com/project/glasswing 
4. https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-evaluation-of-claude-mythos-previews-cyber-capabilities 
5. https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/people/ciaran-martin 
6. https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2024/10/Cybersecurity-Workforce-INSIGHTS-October-2024 
7. https://decrypt.co/364141/anthropic-claude-mythos-serious-threat-overhyped-ai-security-institute 
8. https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/economy/story/fm-nirmala-sitharaman-wants-sebi-regulated-entities-to-remain-exceptionally-vigilant-heres-why-527437-2026-04-25 
9. https://www.theweek.in/news/biz-tech/2026/04/25/sebi-38th-anniversary-cybersecurity-concerns.html 

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