New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) The Indian Army on Thursday cautioned citizens against amplifying unverified information related to the military and released details of its official Fact Check Account on social media.

In an official announcement, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of Ministry of Defence (Army), said, “Follow @MythbusterXX for verified updates, swift rebuttals, Misinformation, Disinformation, Malinformation, and Deepfakes pertaining to the Indian Army.”

“Official Fact Check Account of Indian Army. @MythbusterXX. Be Aware and Stay Alert. Verify before you amplify. Trust only official sources. Stand with truth,” said the announcement.

Earlier on June 1, the Indian government debunked false claims circulating on social media and warned about an AI-generated deepfake video of the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, being shared by Pakistani propaganda accounts to mislead the public.

The fact-checking unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) highlighted that Pakistani propaganda accounts are using AI to falsely attribute statements about India funding the Taliban.

“Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally-manipulated video falsely claiming that Indian Army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, made remarks regarding India’s engagement with the Taliban,” the PIB fact-check said in a statement.

“This claim is fake. Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi did NOT make any such statement. The viral clip has been digitally manipulated to falsely attribute remarks to the Chief of the Army Staff,” it added.

In another earlier instance of AI-generated deepfake video, content attributed to former Chief of Army Staff, Manoj Pande was circulated online by Pakistani propaganda accounts with misleading claims about the Indian Army.

An official Fact Check issued against the said manipulated content said that the video falsely portrays Gen. Manoj Pande (Retd.) making controversial remarks regarding the functioning and conduct of the Indian Army.

“Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally manipulated video, falsely showing the former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Manoj Pande (Retd.), making false statements regarding the Indian Army. Beware! This is an AI-generated deepfake video,” a PIB Fact Check stated, clarifying that the former Army chief has not made any such statement.

–IANS

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