UNION BUDGET 2023 “Centers of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence”

Introduction

In a world perpetually in motion, the currents of the information superhighway surge ceaselessly, molding perceptions, shaping realities, and often blurring the lines that tether truth to its moorings. At the heart of this relentless churn lies a conundrum that has become all too familiar, in which veracity is obscured by the shadow-play of misinformation. Emblematic of this dilemma is the narrative of Virat Kohli, a name that has become synonymous not only with cricketing brilliance but with the complexities of a modern era where digital echo chambers amplify half-truths and outright fabrications with alarming efficacy.

It is within this intricate fabric of the digital realm that the saga of Virat Kohli—a titan of cricket whose arsenal of strokes and strategic acumen have captivated audiences worldwide—takes on a dimension that transcends the sport. The speculative murmurs have been converted into roaring waves of misinformation, crafting a narrative that, while devoid of truth, assumes a disconcerting life. This digital osmosis, the transmutation from a quiet inkling to a deafening chorus of credibility, exemplifies the troublesome dynamic that has come to define our interactions with news media in the 21st century.

Fact check: Viral Misinformation

A viral post about Virat Kohli's mother suffering from liver issues has gone viral on social media. The claim came after Kohli withdrew from the India-England test series citing 'personal reasons'. Vikas Kohli, brother of Virat Kohli, clarified on Instagram that the viral news about their mother is false. He clarified that their mother is doing well and the viral claim is false. Vikas Kohli's Instagram page dismissed the viral claim, stating that he noticed the fake news and requested the media not to spread such news without proper information.

Fake Health Crisis

As this virulent strain of rumour regarding the health of Saroj Kohli, Virat Kohli’s mother, began to swell into the digital domain, it brought to the forefront a critical examination of the checks and balances within our networks of communication. Saroj, whose resilience and nurturing presence had been an anchor in the athlete's storied journey, undeservedly became the nucleus of a fictitious tale of despair, giving us pause to reflect on the ethical boundaries of storytelling in the world of clicks and views.

Vikas Kohli—the elder brother of Virat Kohli—took to social media, the very platform from which the falsehood originated, to stand as the bulwark against the spread of this groundless narrative. 

The Consequences

The consequences of such falsehoods and their rapid dissemination are manifold, affecting individuals and communities in profound ways. The motivations behind the proliferation of deceitful stories are as labyrinthine as the networks they traverse - from manipulation and economic incentives to the pursuit of sheer sensationalism or cynical entertainment, each strand intertwines to form an intricate web wherein truth struggles to assert itself.

Conclusion 

In the ceaseless expanses of the digital cosmos, where one can easily drift into the void of falsities, let the narrative of Virat Kohli stand as a sentinel, a reminder of our duty to navigate these waters with vigilance and to preserve the sanctity of truth. Amidst the vast ocean of content that laps in our consciousness, it is precisely this unwavering dedication to facts that will act as our compass, enabling us to discern the credible beacons from the deceptive mirages and ultimately ensuring that our discourse remains moored in the bedrock of reality.

References 

• https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/virat-kohli-mother-sick-liver-disease-fact-check
• https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/ind-vs-eng-virat-kohlis-brother-dismisses-fake-news-circulating-about-their-mother-9136144/
• https://www.outlookindia.com/amp/story/sports/ind-vs-eng-virat-kohlis-brother-slams-fake-news-on-their-mothers-health

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Introduction

“GPS Spoofing” though formerly was confined to conflict zones as a consequence, has lately become a growing hazard for pilots and aircraft operators across the world, and several countries have been facing such issues. This definition stems from the US Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, which delivers specialized advice for government regulatory authorities. Global Positioning System (GPS) is considered an emergent part of aviation infrastructure as it supersedes traditional radio beams used to direct planes towards the landing. “GPS spoofing” occurs when a double-dealing radio signal overrides a legitimate GPS satellite alert where the receiver gets false location information. In the present times, this is the first time civilian passenger flights have faced such a significant danger, though GPS signal interference of this character has existed for over a decade. According to the Agency France-Presse (AFP), false GPS signals mislead onboard plane procedures and problematise the job of airline pilots that are surging around conflict areas. GPS spoofing may also be the outcome of military electronic warfare systems that have been deployed in zones combating regional tension. GPS spoofing can further lead to significant upheavals in commercial aviation, which include arrivals and departures of passengers apart from safety.

Spoofing might likewise involve one country’s military sending false GPS signals to an enemy plane or drone to impede its capability to operate, which has a collateral impact on airliners operating at a near distance. Collateral impairment in commercial aircraft can occur as confrontations escalate and militaries send faulty GPS signals to attempt to thwart drones and other aircraft. It could, therefore, lead to a global crisis, leading to the loss of civilian aircraft in an area already at a high-risk zone close to an operational battle area. Furthermore, GPS jamming is different from GPS Spoofing. While jamming is when the GPS signals are jammed or obstructed, spoofing is very distinct and way more threatening. 

Global Reporting

An International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assessment released in 2019 indicated that there were 65 spoofing incidents across the Middle East in the preceding two years, according to the C4ADS report. At the beginning of 2018, Euro control received more than 800 reports of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference in Europe. Also, GPS spoofing in Eastern Europe and the Middle East has resulted in up to 80nm divergence from the flight route and aircraft impacted have had to depend on radar vectors from Air Traffic Control (ATC). According to Forbes, flight data intelligence website OPSGROUP, constituted of 8,000 members including pilots and controllers, has been reporting spoofing incidents since September 2023. Similarly, over 20 airlines and corporate jets flying over Iran diverted from their planned path after they were directed off the pathway by misleading GPS signals transmitted from the ground, subjugating the navigation systems of the aircraft.  

In this context, vicious hackers, however at large, have lately realized how to override the critical Inertial Reference Systems (IRS) of an airplane, which is the essential element of technology and is known by the manufacturers as the “brains” of an aircraft. However, the current IRS is not prepared to counter this kind of attack. IRS uses accelerometers, gyroscopes and electronics to deliver accurate attitude, speed, and navigation data so that a plane can decide how it is moving through the airspace. GPS spoofing occurrences make the IRS ineffective, and in numerous cases, all navigation power is lost.

Red Flag from Agencies

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) correspondingly hosted a workshop on incidents where people have spoofed and obstructed satellite navigation systems and inferred that these direct a considerable challenge to security. IATA and EASA have further taken measures to communicate information about GPS tampering so that crew and pilots can make sure to determine when it is transpiring. The EASA had further pre-cautioned about an upsurge in reports of GPS spoofing and jamming happenings in the Baltic Sea area, around the Black Sea, and regions near Russia and Finland in 2022 and 2023. According to industry officials, empowering the latest technologies for civil aircraft can take several years, and while GPS spoofing incidents have been increasing, there is no time to dawdle. Experts have noted critical navigation failures on airplanes, as there have been several recent reports of alarming cyber attacks that have changed planes' in-flight GPS. As per experts, GPS spoofing could affect commercial airlines and cause further disarray. Due to this, there are possibilities that pilots can divert from the flight route, further flying into a no-fly zone or any unauthorized zone, putting them at risk.

According to OpsGroup, a global group of pilots and technicians first brought awareness and warning to the following issue when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a forewarning on the security of flight risk to civil aviation operations over the spate of attacks. In addition, as per the civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a forewarning circular on spoofing threats to planes' GPS signals when flying over parts of the Middle East was issued. DGCA advisory further notes the aviation industry is scuffling with uncertainties considering the contemporary dangers and information of GNSS jamming and spoofing. 

Conclusion

As the aviation industry continues to grapple with GPS spoofing problems, it is entirely unprepared to combat this, although the industry should consider discovering attainable technologies to prevent them. As International conflicts become convoluted, technological solutions are unrestricted and can be pricey, intricate and not always efficacious depending on what sort of spoofing is used.

As GPS interference attacks become more complex, specialized resolutions should be invariably contemporized. Improving education and training (to increase awareness among pilots, air traffic controllers and other aviation experts), receiver technology (Creating and enforcing more state-of-the-art GPS receiver technology), ameliorating monitoring and reporting (Installing robust monitoring systems), cooperation (collaboration among stakeholders like government bodies, aviation organisations etc.), data/information sharing, regulatory measures (regulations and guidelines by regulatory and government bodies) can help in averting GPS spoofing.

References

• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/false-gps-signal-surge-makes-life-hard-for-pilots/articleshow/108363076.cms?from=mdr
• https://nypost.com/2023/11/20/lifestyle/hackers-are-taking-over-planes-gps-experts-are-lost-on-how-to-fix-it/
• https://www.timesnownews.com/india/planes-losing-gps-signal-over-middle-east-dgca-flags-spoofing-threat-article-105475388
• https://www.firstpost.com/world/gps-spoofing-deceptive-gps-lead-over-20-planes-astray-in-iran-13190902.html
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/erictegler/2024/01/31/gps-spoofing-is-now-affecting-airplanes-in-parts-of-europe/?sh=48fbe725c550
• https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2024/01/30/758635.htm
• https://airwaysmag.com/gps-spoofing-commercial-aviation/
• https://www.wsj.com/articles/aviation-industry-to-tackle-gps-security-concerns-c11a917f
• https://www.deccanherald.com/world/explained-what-is-gps-spoofing-that-has-misguided-around-20-planes-near-iran-iraq-border-and-how-dangerous-is-this-2708342

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Introduction

With the advent of the internet, the world revealed the promise of boundless connection and the ability to bridge vast distances with a single click. However, as we wade through the complex layers of the digital age, we find ourselves facing a paradoxical realm where anonymity offers both liberation and a potential for unforeseen dangers. Omegle, a chat and video messaging platform, epitomizes this modern conundrum. Launched over a decade ago in 2009, it has burgeoned into a popular avenue for digital interaction, especially amidst the heightened need for human connection spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic's social distancing requirements. Yet, this seemingly benign tool of camaraderie, tragically, doubles as a contemporary incarnation of Pandora's box, unleashing untold risks upon the online privacy and security landscape. Omegle shuts down its operations permanently after 14 years of its service.

The Rise of Omegle 

The foundations of this nebulous virtual dominion can be traced back to the very architecture of Omegle. Introduced to the world as a simple, anonymous chat service, Omegle has since evolved, encapsulating the essence of unpredictable human interaction. Users enter this digital arena, often with the innocent desire to alleviate the pangs of isolation or simply to satiate curiosity; yet they remain blissfully unaware of the potential cybersecurity maelstrom that awaits them.

As we commence a thorough inquiry into the psyche of Omegle's vast user base, we observe a digital diaspora with staggering figures. The platform, in May 2022, counted 51.7 million unique visitors, a testament to its sprawling reach across the globe. Delve a bit deeper, and you will uncover that approximately 29.89% of these digital nomads originate from the United States. Others, in varying percentages, flock from India, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and Germany, revealing a vast, intricate mosaic of international engagement.

Such statistics beguile the uninformed observer with the lie of demographic diversity. Yet we must proceed with caution, for while the platform boasts an impressive 63.91% male patronage, we cannot overlook the notable surge in female participation, which has climbed to 36.09% during the pandemic era. More alarming still is the revelation, borne out of a BBC investigation in February 2021, that children as young as seven have trespassed into Omegle's adult sections—a section purportedly guarded by a minimum age limit of thirteen. How we must ask, has underage presence burgeoned on this platform? A sobering pointer finger towards the platform's inadvertent marketing on TikTok, where youthful influencers, with abandon, promote their Omegle exploits under the #omegle hashtag.

The Omegle Allure

Omegle's allure is further compounded by its array of chat opportunities. It flaunts an adult section awash with explicit content, a moderated chat section that, despite the platform's own admissions, remains imperfectly patrolled, and an unmoderated section, its entry pasted with forewarnings of an 18+ audience. Beyond these lies the college chat option, a seemingly exclusive territory that only admits individuals armed with a verified '.edu' email address.

The effervescent charm of Omegle's interface, however, belies its underlying treacheries. Herein lies a digital wilderness where online predators and nefarious entities prowl, emboldened by the absence of requisite registration protocols. No email address, no unique identifier—pestilence to any notion of accountability or safeguarding. Within this unchecked reality, the young and unwary stand vulnerable, a hapless game for exploitation. 

Threat to Users 

Venture even further into Omegle's data fiefdom, and the spectre of compromise looms larger. Users, particularly the youth, risk exposure to unsuitable content, and their naivety might lead to the inadvertent divulgence of personal information. Skulking behind the facade of connection, opportunities abound for coercion, blackmail, and stalking—perils rendered more potent as every video exchange and text can be captured, and recorded by an unseen adversary. The platform acts as a quasi-familiar confidante, all the while harvesting chat logs, cookies, IP addresses, and even sensory data, which, instead of being ephemeral, endure within Omegle's databases, readily handed to law enforcement and partnered entities under the guise of due diligence.

How to Combat the threat 

In mitigating these online gorgons, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. To thwart incursion into your digital footprint, adults, seeking the thrills of Omegle's roulette, would do well to cloak their activities with a Virtual Private Network (VPN), diligently pore over the privacy policy, deploy robust cybersecurity tools, and maintain an iron-clad reticence on personal disclosures. For children, the recommendation gravitates towards outright avoidance. There, a constellation of parental control mechanisms await the vigilant guardian, ready to shield their progeny from the internet's darker alcoves.

Conclusion 

In the final analysis, Omegle emerges as a microcosm of the greater web—a vast, paradoxical construct proffering solace and sociability, yet riddled with malevolent traps for the uninformed. As digital denizens, our traverse through this interconnected cosmos necessitates a relentless guarding of our private spheres and the sober acknowledgement that amidst the keystrokes and clicks, we must tread with caution lest we unseal the perils of this digital Pandora's box.

References:

https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/omegle-shuts-down-operations-permanently-after-14-years-of-its-service-123110900743_1.html

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