India fights ‘digital war’ as fake content floods social media
Amid escalating tensions, India is confronting Pakistan on two fronts. As the armed forces are combating the situation on the ground, a parallel battle is unfolding in the digital realm, where the neighbouring country is orchestrating a coordinated disinformation campaign.
The moment social media gets a whiff of military action from any side — relevant websites and apps get flooded with fake photos, videos, edited letters and more alarmingly government orders in both India and Pakistan.
On the intervening night of May 8 and 9 — when the Indian armed forces were “effectively repulsing and a giving a befitting reply” to Pakistan’s attacks using drones and other ammunition along the Western Border — videos of military action (all fake) filed the digital space within seconds.
Fact check unit at work
On the intervening night of May 8 and 9 — when the armed forces were “effectively repulsing and a giving a befitting reply” to Pakistan’s attacks — videos of military action (all fake) filed the digital space
According to the Centre, the fresh surge of disinformation was met with swift action from the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check Unit, which has been regularly countering this psychological warfare
According to the Centre, the fresh surge of disinformation targeting it was met with swift action from the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check Unit, which has been regularly countering this psychological warfare.
Between 10 pm on May 8 and 6.30 am on May 9, the unit identified and debunked several widely shared videos, many of which were traced to coordinated campaigns originating from Pakistan.
One of the most viral videos, allegedly showing a drone attack in Jalandhar, was found to be a complete misrepresentation. The footage, in fact, was that of a farm fire that occurred earlier, and the timing alone disproved the drone narrative. The District Commissioner of Jalandhar corroborated this finding.
In another case, a video that claimed the Pakistani army had destroyed an Indian post was revealed to be staged. The unit that it mentioned, “20 Raj Battalion”, does not even exist in the Indian Army. This deliberate fabrication was part of a broader attempt to mislead the public.
Another dramatic video that claimed a Pakistani missile strike on Indian territory was traced back to the 2020 Beirut explosion. This recycled footage, stripped of context, was falsely presented as evidence of a retaliatory strike.
Further fake news included a fabricated report of a ‘fidayeen attack in Rajouri’. The PIB confirmed that no such incident had taken place, warning that the video was only circulated to sow confusion.
One post attempted to lend legitimacy to a fake narrative by showcasing a forged confidential letter, allegedly sent by “General VK Narayan” to Northern Command. The PIB dismissed the claim, confirming that no such individual currently holds the position of Chief of the Army Staff.
A particularly insidious claim alleged that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to carry out an attack on Amritsar. The fact check unit refuted this baseless charge and shared a detailed press release from the Ministry of Defence to clarify the truth.
Moreover, rumours of a nationwide airport entry ban spread rapidly across social media platforms. The PIB confirmed that no such directive had been issued by any government authority, urging the public to refrain from sharing unverified alerts.
India