Hyderabad/IBNS-CMEDIA: Meta India head Arun Srinivas and several Facebook and Instagram accounts have been booked over allegedly circulating “objectionable” videos and morphed images targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the nationwide NEET paper-leak protests, media reports said.
The cases were registered by the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police following complaints alleging that manipulated and AI-generated content was shared on social media during the protests triggered by the Cockroach Janta Party’s Jantar Mantar dharna.
Complaints filed by Telangana residents
The complaints were lodged by 29-year-old businessman S. Aravind Reddy and Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist T. Saikiran Goud.
They alleged that they came across multiple Facebook and Instagram posts containing obscene, derogatory and misleading content featuring the Prime Minister.
Allegations in the complaints
According to the complaints, quoted by NDTV, the posts contained offensive language and digitally manipulated visuals.
“The comments contain offensive language, ridicule, and indecent remarks directed at the Hon’ble Prime Minister and other individuals depicted in the manipulated content, thereby amplifying the offensive nature of the posts and encouraging their wider circulation and engagement.”
The complaints further alleged: “The above content appears to have been digitally altered or AI-generated and circulated on social media.”
Concerns over misinformation
The complainants alleged that the content could mislead the public and disrupt social harmony.
According to the complaint: “Such content has the potential to mislead the public, spread misinformation, incite hatred or public unrest, outrage public decency, defame or insult the dignity of public figures, disturb public order, promote hostility among different sections of society, and otherwise violate the applicable provisions of law.”
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police are investigating the matter.
