#FactCheckIndia Archives - Akancha Srivastava Foundation

Deepfakes In Online Narratives!

Akancha Srivastava — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:50:30 +0000

Deepfakes are everywhere especiallly during election times.

In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a deepfake video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi surfaced on WhatsApp showing him making a communal statement he never made. Around the same time, a fake video of PM Modi appeared on YouTube, fabricated to make it seem like he admitted to policy failures. Both videos went viral before any official clarification could stop their momentum. By then, the damage was done—public opinion had already been influenced.

These are not isolated incidents. Deepfakes have now become a full-fledged tool of political warfare in India. AI-generated content is being used to spread false narratives, impersonate public figures, and emotionally manipulate voters. Political parties, influencers, and cyber operatives are deploying such content to discredit opponents or build fake consensus on sensitive issues like religion, nationalism, and economic policy.

The technology behind deepfakes involves training generative AI models using large amounts of video and audio data of a specific individual. Facial recognition, voice cloning, and natural language processing tools are combined to create synthetic footage that mimics speech patterns, tone, and expressions with chilling accuracy. These videos are then disseminated via closed groups on Telegram, WhatsApp broadcast lists, and anonymous social media accounts.

The creation process of a political deepfake typically begins by collecting hours of publicly available video and audio footage of the target—usually from interviews, speeches, and social media. This data is used to train machine learning models that map the person’s facial movements and voice inflections. Software like DeepFaceLab or FaceSwap overlays the AI-generated visuals onto another speaker’s face. Voice cloning tools then replicate the speaker’s tone and rhythm to produce seamless, realistic audio. Once generated, the final video is polished using editing tools and released through anonymous channels to maximise impact while hiding the creator’s identity.

The objective is clear: distort facts, incite emotional reactions, and shift electoral outcomes. For instance, during Telangana’s state elections, a deepfake clip showed a regional leader endorsing another party. Within 4 hours, the video was viewed over 2 million times before any fact-check could refute it. By then, voter perception had already shifted. This isn’t just misinformation—it’s mass-scale behavioural manipulation.

Citizens must be alert and responsible. Do not trust or forward sensational political videos without verifying them from trusted news sources. No matter how real a video may appear, remember—AI can manufacture complete lies with absolute precision. Always pause, verify, and report suspicious content to help stop the spread of digital disinformation.

Those behind these operations include political IT cells, bot farms, and foreign influence networks. Some work for ideological gain, others for direct monetary reward. Deepfakes are also used to provoke communal clashes by attributing inflammatory speeches to leaders from rival communities. These tactics have already led to police action in states like West Bengal, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh, where videos sparked real-world unrest.

To counter this, India needs a multi-layered response. First, existing cyber laws under the IT Act must be amended to explicitly criminalise synthetic media used for public harm. Second, election commissions and news agencies must deploy deepfake detection tools in real time. Third, voters must be educated to verify content before sharing. Lastly, tech platforms must be legally compelled to label AI-generated videos and take down malicious deepfakes within strict timeframes.

This is not a technical issue—it’s a threat to democratic integrity. Every citizen must understand the scale and danger of AI-powered manipulation in today’s politics. When truth can be manufactured, trust collapses.

Subscribe to our channel, share this video, and help spread awareness. Don’t fall for engineered lies—stay sharp, stay informed.

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Sources- How Deepfakes Are Being Used in Political Manipulation in India

Coverage highlighting the role of AI and deepfakes in India’s 2024 elections and disinformation tactics.en.wikipedia.org+15digitalfutureslab.in+15newlinesmag.com+15

https://scroll.in/latest/1048525/deepfake-videos-of-indian-politicians-surface-ahead-of-2024-elections

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The Akancha Srivastava Foundation is India’s leading social impact initiative dedicated to advancing cyber safety awareness and education. Established in February 2017, this not-for-profit Section 8 organization is a trusted voice in promoting safe online practices across the nation.

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Former Special DGP RK Vij (Chhattisgarh Police)
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ADG Krishna Prakash (Maharashtra Police)
Dr. Poonam Verma (Principal, SSCBS, Delhi University)

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The Foundation is committed to educating, empowering, and building bridges between the public and authorities on critical cyber safety issues. Additionally, we specialize in forensics training for law enforcement, equipping them with the skills needed to tackle cybercrime effectively.

The post Deepfakes In Online Narratives! appeared first on Akancha Srivastava Foundation.

Instagram Maps Is Not Tracking You by Default

Akancha Srivastava — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 06:54:31 +0000

In August 2025, Instagram rolled out its new “Map” feature, triggering panic online.

Creators flooded reels and stories claiming the app is secretly sharing your live location—even suggesting it’s a threat to women’s safety. Let’s get the facts straight: Instagram’s Map does not share your location unless you turn it on yourself. Period.

This feature is 100% opt-in. You’re not visible on the map unless you manually enable location sharing. You also choose who sees it—Close Friends, Custom List, or No One. If you never touched this feature, you’re not being tracked. Meta, Adam Mosseri, and every verified source have confirmed this publicly.

So why the panic? Because many users are seeing friends on the map and assuming Instagram is auto-tracking. That’s false. Most of these appearances are from location-tagged posts or stories, not real-time tracking. Others turned it on without realising what they allowed. That’s on the user—not the platform.

Real concerns still exist. Many users don’t realise how precise the location can be once shared. Others don’t know where to disable it. Here’s how:

Open yourInstagram DMs, tap the Map icon, then the settings gear icon.
Set“Who can see your location” to No One or a custom list.
For full control, go to yourphone’s settings → Apps → Instagram → Location Access and set it to “Never”. This blocks the app from accessing your location at the system level, even if you mistakenly opt in.

Creators must stop pushing fear for engagement. Location settings aren’t hidden—they’re just unused by most people. The problem isn’t secret tracking. The problem is digital ignorance being amplified by viral content that spreads faster than facts.

Let’s stop fear-mongering and push digital literacy. Panic doesn’t protect you—awareness does.

Subscribe to our channel, share this video, and help spread verified facts—not fear.

Source- https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/07/instagram-map-feature-explained-does-not-share-your-location-unless-you-enable-it/

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