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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Why India must aim to win information wars
Disinformation dominated the recent India–Pakistan conflict. India won the physical fight; we have not yet won the information war. Until it does, New Delhi will struggle to de-hyphenate India and Pakistan globally — an essential strand of our foreign policy. Once the printing press transformed knowledge distribution, propaganda became a core component of war. Both World Wars saw the use of newspapers, posters, radio and film for mass persuasion. Our challenge now is to craft an information war strategy that accounts for the media landscape, from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media to the still powerful legacy medium of broadcast television. India's private sector already excels in natural language processing (NLP), which is a dual-use capability in the context of information warfare. Indian AI models can easily train on a spectrum of languages, dialects and socio-cultural cues — Urdu and Punjabi variants across the border, regimental slang within the Pakistan army, even the memes that circulate in closed loop apps. Put simply, NLP could be used to speak inside the adversary's head, fracturing morale and redirecting attention long before any kinetic move is made. Synthetic video is just as dual-use. A well-known 2022 deepfake of President Volodymyr Zelensky urging Ukrainian troops to surrender went viral before Kyiv debunked it. Pakistan tried using low-grade gaming footage of fighter jets being shot out of the sky against us, yet unsuspecting users still amplified it. India's democratic fabric is a force multiplier: Journalists, fact-checkers and civic technologists can inoculate the public against synthetic videos even as the security establishment perfects its own offensive repertoire. Parallelly, New Delhi should rally around like-minded capitals to draft a military code of conduct — setting red lines for deepfake use during peacetime. Autonomous chatbots can also infiltrate adversary networks and poison their information space, while real-time AI-enabled dashboards track public sentiment. Building these capabilities is vital, but so is shielding citizens from misuse. India's current response — Press Information Bureau fact-checks, official military handles and the blocking of more than 8,000 accounts — works, but only up to a point. The government and platforms should plan in peacetime to create trusted information repositories, much as they did during Covid-19. Platform-originated feeds carrying verified advisories would have quelled the conflict time rumours that briefly sparked panic. Disinformation hops quickly from open networks to closed, encrypted apps. Public-private cooperation must therefore run deep and span multiple platforms, replicating the signal-sharing model now taking shape against online frauds and scams. After the Zelensky deepfake, X announced it would keep the clip online when shared to debunk disinformation, but remove it when shared to deceive — an approach that balances transparency with harm reduction. Meanwhile, large-scale media literacy drives should flip India's instinctive 'trust, then verify' mindset to 'verify, then trust', especially among users who see digital content as inherently authoritative. Winning the narrative is futile if the channels that deliver it can be jammed, spoofed, or severed. Information warfare thus unfolds on two inseparable fronts: The stories we tell, and the networks — satellites, cables — that carry those stories to friend and foe alike. Protecting and hardening this plumbing is as critical as shaping the content. Unauthorised Starlink terminals have already surfaced with militant groups in Manipur during an internet shutdown and with smugglers on the high seas. Recent Indian rules sensibly require low earth orbit satellite operators to demonstrate lawful interception capability, set up gateways in India, share terminal data with security agencies and prevent unverified foreign devices or offshore data decryption. Another front is physical resilience. India hosts just 17 sub-sea cables — Singapore has 26 — despite our 11,098 km coastline and Indo-Pacific location. Quad leaders' May 20, 2023 statement backed 'high-quality underwater cable networks' across the region. With India set to host the next summit, accelerating that initiative should be a priority. Domestic news channels repeatedly aired unverified 'exclusives' until government advisories intervened. Beyond restraining sensationalism on prime-time news, India needs a global voice. Attempts to expand Doordarshan (DD)'s international reach have stalled under thin finances, a legacy workforce, and dated production quality. Al Jazeera and Russia Today (RT) illustrate what focused investment can achieve for countries with far less soft power. If fixing DD requires a mission-mode effort, so be it. Credible, high-quality Indian perspectives must be available worldwide. India's information war doctrine must marry cutting-edge technology and robust public infrastructure with a society trained — beginning in school — to question, verify and act on reliable information. We have secured victory on the ground; the contest for minds and screens is still underway. Vivan Sharan is partner, Koan Advisory Group. The views expressed are personal. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Appeals Court Bars Texas AG Ken Paxton From Investigating Media Matters
A U.S. appeals court on Friday ruled unanimously in favor of Media Matters for America, a progressive media watchdog organization, blocking a Texas attorney general's attempt to investigate the firm for its reporting about brand safety concerns on X. Texas AG Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Media Matters in late November of 2023, after the organization published a report showing ads from major brands appearing next to antisemitic and white supremacist content on the social platform formerly known as Twitter. Media Matters' report sparked a wave of advertiser pullback, which angered X owner Elon Musk. Musk then sued Media Matters, alleging the group knowingly manipulated data to push a damaging narrative about brand safety on the platform. On the same day that Musk filed suit, Texas' Paxton kicked off a probe into Media Matters, alleging it "fraudulently manipulated data on A district court granted Media Matters a preliminary injunction, which blocked Paxton's attempt to enforce a pre-litigation the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed an earlier decision from a district court to block Paxton's subpoena attempt, calling the effort an "arguably bad-faith investigation." The court ruled on First Amendment grounds, determining that Media Matters' statements about X constitute protected free speech. "Paxton's contention that Appellees' conduct is not constitutionally protected because their articles were deliberately designed to mislead consumers about X is meritless," the court wrote in a 34-page ruling issued today. "The record is utterly devoid of evidence to support such a claim." The court added that Media Matters' "reporting on public issues are quintessential First Amendment activities.' In response to the decision, Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone said in a statement: "Elon Musk encouraged Republican state attorneys general to use their power to harass their critics and stifle reporting about X. Ken Paxton was one of those AGs who took up the call, and his attempt to use his office as an instrument for Musk's censorship crusade has been defeated. Today's decision is a victory for free speech."The Texas Attorney General's Office did not respond to ADWEEK's request for comment by press time. X Rolls Out AI-Generated Ads in Push to Win Advertisers Back
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jason Day, a member at Muirfield Village Golf Club, out of 2025 Memorial with sore wrist
Jason Day, a member at Muirfield Village Golf Club, out of 2025 Memorial with sore wrist DUBLIN, Ohio — Westerville, Ohio, resident and Muirfield Village Golf Club member Jason Day is sitting out the 2025 Memorial Tournament because of soreness in his left wrist. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to compete in the Memorial," Day messaged tournament officials last week. "I've had some discomfort in my left wrist and after consulting with my doctor he recommended I take the week off to rest and recover. "I always look forward to playing in Ohio at Jack's event each year," Day wrote. "As a member at Muirfield we are quite honored to recognize Barbara Nicklaus as this year's honoree. I look forward to returning in 2026." Day, 37, last missed the Memorial in 2021, when a back injury forced him to withdraw. His only other absence came in 2011. His best finish in 15 appearances is a tie for fourth in 2020. Day has also been struggling with a back issue that caused him to withdraw from the May 8-11 Truist Championship. Day was dealing with a herniated disc near his neck, but returned to play in the PGA Championship a week later, where he missed the cut. Day's season has included three top-10 finishes, including a tie for eighth at the Masters. Last year at the Memorial, the former world No. 1 stayed in his RV in his Westerville driveway to simulate a typical tournament week on the road. The driveway to fairway system began in 2020, when Day tied for fourth at the Memorial. Needless to say, with his injury, he'll be sleeping in his own bed this week. Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@ and on at@rollerCD. Read his columns from the Buckeyes' national championship season in "Scarlet Reign," a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Dispatch. Details at
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Muirfield Village Golf Club member Jason Day skips Memorial Tournament to rest sore wrist
Westerville resident and Muirfield Village Golf Club member Jason Day is sitting out the May 29-June 1 Memorial Tournament because of soreness in his left wrist. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to compete in the Memorial," Day messaged tournament officials last week. "I've had some discomfort in my left wrist and after consulting with my doctor he recommended I take the week off to rest and recover. Advertisement "I always look forward to playing in Ohio at Jack's event each year," Day wrote. "As a member at Muirfield we are quite honored to recognize Barbara Nicklaus as this year's honoree. I look forward to returning in 2026." Memorial Tournament: Even without Rory McIlroy, 2025 field is strong Jason Day said after skipping the 2025 Memorial Tournament with a sore wrist, he hopes to return in 2026. Day, 37, last missed the Memorial in 2021, when a back injury forced him to withdraw. His only other absence came in 2011. His best finish in 15 appearances is a tie for fourth in 2020. Day has also been struggling with a back issue that caused him to withdraw from the May 8-11 Truist Championship. Day was dealing with a herniated disc near his neck, but returned to play in the PGA Championship a week later, where he missed the cut. Advertisement Day's season has included three top-10 finishes, including a tie for eighth at the Masters. Muirfield Village Golf Club: 10 greatest moments from 49 Memorial Tournaments Last year at the Memorial, the former world No. 1 stayed in his RV in his Westerville driveway to simulate a typical tournament week on the road. The driveway to fairway system began in 2020, when Day tied for fourth at the Memorial. Needless to say, with his injury, he'll be sleeping in his own bed this week. Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@ and on at@rollerCD. Read his columns from the Buckeyes' national championship season in "Scarlet Reign," a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Dispatch. Details at This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Westerville's Jason Day will miss Memorial Tournament with sore wrist
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Akshay Kumar makes first appearance after the 'Hera Pheri 3' dispute with Paresh Rawal, the actor gets spotted at the airport looking dapper
Akshay Kumar was spotted at the airport on Sunday, looking quite handsome in baggy denims and a blue striped shirt. His looks have always belied his age and the actor is known for always having his own style which is carries off effortlessly. This is Akshay's first appearance after his production house has filed a lawsuit against Paresh Rawal after his sudden exit from 'Hera Pheri 3'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ETimes (@etimes) Paresh left everyone shocked as he announced that he has quit the film. Even director Priyadarshan , Akshay and Suniel Shetty were unaware of it. The legal team of Akshay's production house (who has bought the rights of Hera Pheri 3) said, "Mr Rawal had publicly acknowledged his participation in the film on 30th January 2025 via a post on his official (formerly Twitter) handle. He further formalised his commitment by executing a Term Sheet dated 27th March 2025, pursuant to which he accepted a part payment of Rs 11,00,000/- towards his remuneration. Acting in complete reliance on his public endorsement and contractual commitment, Cape of Good Films incurred substantial production and promotional expenditures, including those for the teaser and initial film shoot, in which Mr Rawal actively participated." Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo However, a source close to Rawal denied these allegations to IANS. The source was quoted saying, saying that only a promo shoot had taken place. They stressed that Rawal exited well before principal photography started and said that the idea of him 'walked out' is 'worst theatrical imagination at best'. The source also said, "Paresh Rawal is someone who has built his career one role at a time—not on headlines, but on honesty, discipline, and sheer craft. He doesn't need the noise, and certainly doesn't thrive on it." Meanwhile, Paresh broke silence on the matter on Sunday morning as he wrote on X, "My lawyer, Ameet Naik, has sent an appropriate response regarding my rightful termination and exit. Once they read my response all issues will be laid to rest." Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
