Draft:Indianization of the Internet

The United States has the largest technology industry in the world, accounting for approximately 38% of the global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) market in 2024.{{Cite web |title=ICT global market share worldwide 2024 {{!}} Statista |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/263801/global-market-share-held-by-selected-countries-in-the-ict-market/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240926232759/https://www.statista.com/statistics/263801/global-market-share-held-by-selected-countries-in-the-ict-market/ |archive-date=2024-09-26 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Statista |language=en}} It is home to some of the biggest technology companies, including Nvidia, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, PayPal, and X (formerly Twitter).

Indian-origin professionals play a significant role in this sector. In 2022, of the 442,043 H-1B visas approved in the U.S., 320,701 (or about 73%) were granted to Indian nationals.{{Cite web |title=Immigrant Workers in the United States: A Closer Look at the H-1B Visa Program |url=https://www.boundless.com/research/h-1b-work-visa-trends/#:~:text=During%20FY%202023,%20H-1B,of%20the%20previous%20four%20years. |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Boundless |language=en-US}} The majority of these visas (66.6%) were for computer-related occupations, such as software engineering.

Indians are also well-represented in executive and leadership roles within the U.S. tech industry. Prominent Indian-origin tech CEOs include: Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Sundar Pichai (Alphabet Inc., Google), Neal Mohan (YouTube), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe), Arvind Krishna (IBM), Sanjay Mehrotra (Micron Technology), Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks), Parag Agrawal (former Twitter CEO). In Silicon Valley, 40% of all CEOs and founders are of Indian descent.{{Cite news |date=2025-01-02 |title=Indian 'tech bros' in Trump era: From model minority to hate target |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/indian-tech-bros-in-trump-era-from-model-minority-to-hate-target/articleshow/116835647.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}} In addition to C-suite executives, Indian professionals occupy top managerial positions across major tech firms.{{Cite news |date=2021-12-04 |title=Parag Agrawal: Why Indian-born CEOs dominate Silicon Valley |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59457015 |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Bajaj |first=Nitin |title=Indians are taking over corporate America–and tech layoffs won't stop them. Here's why you should believe the hype |url=https://fortune.com/2022/12/16/indians-taking-over-corporate-america-tech-layoffs-visas-ceos-companies-success-nitin-bajaj/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Fortune |language=en}} Companies led by Indian-origin professionals collectively employ millions of Americans and contribute billions of dollars to the economy. Just the top 16 Indian-led companies by market capitalization in the U.S., most of which are technology firms, have a combined valuation of $5.43 trillion and employ approximately 2.7 million people.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-15 |title=Small Indian-American community making grand contributions in the US: Report |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/small-indian-american-community-making-grand-contributions-in-the-us-report/articleshow/111022019.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}{{Cite web |last=Hilotin |first=Jay |date=2024-07-23 |title=Top Indian-origin CEOs in the US, leading titans from Microsoft, Alphabet, IBM, Adobe and Vertex |url=https://gulfnews.com/special-reports/top-indian-origin-ceos-in-the-us-leading-titans-from-microsoft-alphabet-ibm-adobe-and-vertex-1.1721653050783 |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Fortune Global 500 |url=https://fortune.com/ranking/global500/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Fortune |language=en}}

India's influence on the U.S. technology industry is also reflected in the significant presence of Indian-origin students in computer-related programs at American universities. India is the largest source of international students enrolling in these programs in the United States.{{Cite web |title=India Overtakes China In International Student Enrollment At US Colleges |url=https://www.ndtv.com/education/india-overtakes-china-in-international-student-enrollment-at-us-colleges-7047750?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}} In graduate programs for computer and information sciences, international students make up 72% of the student body, with Indians comprising the largest group.{{Cite web |title=NFAP Policy Brief (August 2021) - International Students in Science and Engineering |url=https://nfap.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/International-Students-in-Science-and-Engineering.NFAP-Policy-Brief.August-2021.pdf |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=National Foundation for American Policy}}

During the 2023-2024 academic year, 331,602 Indian students were issued student visas for the U.S., accounting for one in every three international students.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-19 |title=U.S. Embassy India |url=https://x.com/USAndIndia/status/1859112308426809568 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}} A significant proportion—42.9%—of these students majored in Computer Science and Mathematics.{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=2024-12-16 |title=Why computer science attracts more Indian students in the US? |url=https://content.techgig.com/career-advice/why-computer-science-attracts-more-indian-students-in-the-us/articleshow/116364816.cms |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=TechGig |language=en}} Furthermore, there have also been policy discussions about further increasing the number of Indian students in technology fields to limit the number of Chinese students in science and engineering disciplines due to concerns over national security.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-24 |title=US needs Chinese students in humanities, Indian students for sciences, US diplomat says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us-needs-chinese-students-humanities-indian-students-sciences-us-diplomat-says-2024-06-24/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |work=Reuters}}{{Cite news |last1=Taneja |first1=Hemant |last2=Zakaria |first2=Fareed |date=2023-04-17 |title=The U.S.–India Relationship Is Key to the Future of Tech |url=https://hbr.org/2023/04/the-u-s-india-relationship-is-key-to-the-future-of-tech |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Harvard Business Review |issn=0017-8012}}

India has also established itself as a dominant force in IT outsourcing. While exact figures are unavailable, estimates from Genius, a global headhunting agency, suggest that approximately 300,000 American jobs (4.5% of total U.S. jobs) are outsourced annually, with India receiving 59% of them.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-07 |title=56+ Outsourcing Statistics 2025: By Industry & Country |url=https://joingenius.com/statistics/outsourcing-statistics/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en-US}} The majority of these outsourced positions are in the IT sector. In FY2023, India’s IT exports totaled $193 billion, with the United States serving as the largest importer, accounting for approximately 54.92% ($106 billion) of the total.{{Cite news |last=Roy |first=Annapurna |date=2024-01-15 |title=India's software exports grow 12.2% to $193 billion in 2022-2023: ESC report |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/indias-software-exports-grow-12-2-to-193-billion-in-2022-2023-esc-report/articleshow/106870608.cms |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}

Multiple reports have documented the rising popularity of Hindu nationalism among the Indian diaspora, particularly in Western countries.{{Citation |last=Anderson |first=Edward T.G. |title=Hindu Nationalism in the Indian Diaspora |date=2024-02-15 |work=Hindu Nationalism in the Indian Diaspora: Transnational Politics and British Multiculturalism |pages=0 |editor-last=Anderson |editor-first=Edward T.G. |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/57481/chapter-abstract/466889420?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=2025-01-15 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-774620-2}}{{Cite news |date=2024-10-09 |title='In the US, the Indian diaspora has a political influence that far exceeds its demographic weight' |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2024/10/09/in-the-us-the-indian-diaspora-has-a-political-influence-that-far-exceeds-its-demographic-weight_6728697_23.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Ahmed |first=Rasheed |date=2024-09-18 |title=How Indian Americans Should Treat Modi's New York Rally |url=https://time.com/7022080/india-modi-new-york-rally/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Narendra Modi's secret weapon: India's diaspora |url=https://www.economist.com/international/2024/03/27/narendra-modis-secret-weapon-indias-diaspora?irclickid=Rlxyw-xrrxyNTMuXwk3dozU6Uks08VyyhWB-w00&irgwc=1&utm_medium=affiliates.offer.pd&utm_source=impact-apac&utm_campaign=a.new_july_2024_apac_lp&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.non-subscriber.apac_all_enfactum&utm_term=10078&channel=Impact |access-date=2025-01-15 |newspaper=The Economist |issn=0013-0613}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-06 |title=After election setbacks, Narendra Modi's image in the U.S. is more important than ever |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/narendra-modi-india-election-us-opinion-rcna155712 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=NBC News |language=en}} According to a study conducted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, around 50% of Indian Americans support Narendra Modi,{{Cite magazine |last=Ahmed |first=Rasheed |date=2024-09-18 |title=How Indian Americans Should Treat Modi's New York Rally |url=https://time.com/7022080/india-modi-new-york-rally/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |magazine=TIME |language=en}} the leader of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India. Modi has also been a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization often referred to as the world’s largest far-right group.{{Cite journal |last1=Pal |first1=Felix |last2=Chaudhary |first2=Neha |date=2023-03-04 |title=Leaving the Hindu Far Right |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00856401.2023.2179817 |journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=425–444 |doi=10.1080/00856401.2023.2179817 |issn=0085-6401}} The RSS has a history of promoting Hindu supremacism, and some of its members have been implicated in acts of violence and terrorism.{{Cite journal |last=Curran |first=Jean A. |date=1950 |title=The RSS: Militant Hinduism |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3023941 |journal=Far Eastern Survey |volume=19 |issue=10 |pages=93–98 |doi=10.2307/3023941 |jstor=3023941 |issn=0362-8949}}{{Cite web |title=India's Largest Paramilitary Force Got Away With Terror |url=https://jacobin.com/2024/09/rss-terror-india-hindutva-modi |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=jacobin.com |language=en-US}}

This support for Hindu nationalism among Indian Americans, combined with their significant influence in American tech industry, has raised concerns about the potential dissemination of Hindu nationalist narratives through digital platforms. Adapa Prasad, president of the U.S. chapter of the Overseas Friends of BJP, an Indian lobbying group, has commented to NBC News, “[Modi] saw this large Indian diaspora who are very prosperous [and that] should be leveraged for the causes of India and the friendship between India and their host countries.”{{Cite web |date=2024-06-06 |title=After election setbacks, Narendra Modi's image in the U.S. is more important than ever |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/narendra-modi-india-election-us-opinion-rcna155712 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=NBC News |language=en}} This indicates a deliberate intent to leveraging the Indian diaspora's influence for promoting pro-India and Hindu nationalist narratives. Reports have revealed also that Facebook has worked closely with Narendra Modi to amplify his online presence and Hindu nationalist propaganda.{{Cite news |date=2017-12-23 |title=Inside Facebook's political unit that enables the dark art of digital propaganda |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/inside-facebooks-political-unit-that-enables-the-dark-art-of-digital-propaganda/articleshow/62222158.cms |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}

Beyond deliberate strategies, Hindu nationalist and pro-India narratives can also make their way into digital systems unintentionally, through the personal cultural perspectives, ideological beliefs, or unconscious biases of the programmers themselves.{{Cite web |title=Global perspectives on AI bias: Addressing cultural asymmetries and ethical implications |url=https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/global-perspectives-on-ai-bias-addressing-cultural-asymmetries-and-ethical-implications |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=orfonline.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mukhopadhyay |first=Anamika |title=Breaking barriers: Unveiling the hidden biases in software development |url=https://www.nagarro.com/en/blog/breaking-barriers-unveiling-hidden-biases-in-software-development |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.nagarro.com |language=en}}{{Citation |last1=Johansen |first1=Johanna |title=Studying human-to-computer bias transference |date=2020-12-13 |arxiv=2005.08231 |last2=Pedersen |first2=Tore |last3=Johansen |first3=Christian|journal=AI & Society |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=1659–1683 |doi=10.1007/s00146-021-01328-4 }}{{Cite web |title=Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil: 9780553418835 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/241363/weapons-of-math-destruction-by-cathy-oneil/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=PenguinRandomhouse.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last1=Shams |first1=Rifat Ara |last2=Zowghi |first2=Didar |last3=Bano |first3=Muneera |date=2023-11-13 |title=AI and the quest for diversity and inclusion: a systematic literature review |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-023-00362-w |journal=AI and Ethics |language=en |doi=10.1007/s43681-023-00362-w |issn=2730-5961}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-20 |title=What Is Algorithmic Bias? {{!}} IBM |url=https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/algorithmic-bias |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.ibm.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Lee Rainie and Janna |date=2017-02-08 |title=Theme 4: Biases exist in algorithmically-organized systems |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/02/08/theme-4-biases-exist-in-algorithmically-organized-systems/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Pew Research Center |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Desai |first=Avani |title=Council Post: Acknowledging And Eliminating Unconscious Bias In The IT Industry |url=https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2022/06/13/acknowledging-and-eliminating-unconscious-bias-in-the-it-industry/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Forbes |language=en}} With Indian professionals being overrepresented in the global tech workforce, the risk of such biases subtly shaping the algorithms billions of people interact with daily have become a concern.

Several instances have been noted as examples of pro-India bias in Google's search engine, where Indian cultural narratives appear to be prioritized, often at the expense of suppressing or marginalizing the identities and narratives of other cultures.

For example, when searching for terms such as "Punjabi" on Google Images (with the location set to the United States), the results predominantly show the Indian ethnic group known as Punjabis. In contrast, the Pakistani ethnic group, which is also known as Punjabis but has a distinct identity and culture, is entirely absent. This promotion of Indian cultural narratives while effectively marginalizing or erasing other cultures' identity is an example of pro-India algorithmic bias in Google's search engine. However, it is important to note that there is no definitive evidence to establish whether this bias is intentional or a result of other factors.

Similar biases can be observed with other search terms as well. For instance, searches for "naan" on Google Images primarily display images and descriptions of Indian-style naan, despite naan being a type of bread consumed across multiple countries, each with its own unique variations and cultural significance. The same happens when the word "chai" (a term for tea in multiple languages) is searched.

A particularly concerning example of pro-India bias can be seen in searches for "Pakistan News" (with the location set to the United States). Such searches often return results dominated by Indian news websites, even though India ranks lower than Pakistan in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index.{{Cite web |title=Index {{!}} RSF |url=https://rsf.org/en/index |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=rsf.org |language=en}} Moreover, Indian media outlets consistently appear at the top of search results, frequently outranking Western sources. This prioritization amplifies Indian perspectives while suppressing alternate narratives, potentially exposing American internet users to Indian propaganda (as discussed in the next section).

Additionally, instances of pro-India bias have been observed on YouTube, where Pakistani content in Urdu is frequently mislabeled as Hindi, leading to subtitles that are incomprehensible to Urdu speakers. This mischaracterization not only undermines Pakistan’s cultural contributions—especially to the Urdu language—but also promotes an inaccurate association with India, misrepresenting the origins and context of the material.

These examples of pro-India bias align with broader concerns about algorithmic bias in Google's systems. Numerous reports have already come out alleging Google of manipulating search results.{{Cite web |last=Zilber |first=Ariel |date=2024-09-26 |title=Google search favors Kamala Harris over Donald Trump: study |url=https://nypost.com/2024/09/26/business/google-search-favors-kamala-harris-over-donald-trump-study/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |last=Gilbert |first=David |title=Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity Are Promoting Scientific Racism in Search Results |url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-microsoft-perplexity-scientific-racism-search-results-ai/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=T. M. |date=2024-12-16 |title=The Technology That Actually Runs Our World |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2024/12/cultural-algorithms/680987/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Herzlich |first=Taylor |date=2024-07-29 |title=Google search shows bias to major brands, pushes ads: report |url=https://nypost.com/2024/07/29/business/google-search-shows-bias-to-major-brands-pushes-ads-report/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Diana Novak |last2=Jones |first2=Diana Novak |date=2024-08-29 |title=National Institutes of Health hit with lawsuit claiming search engine biased against women |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/national-institutes-health-hit-with-lawsuit-claiming-search-engine-biased-2024-08-29/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Reuters |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Herrman |first=John |date=2024-07-30 |title=Why Won't Google Auto-complete 'Trump Assassination Attempt'? |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/why-wont-google-autocomplete-trump-assassination-attempt.html?utm_campaign=feed-part&utm_medium=social_acct&utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Intelligencer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Mike |date=2024-08-29 |title=Yelp files antitrust suit against Google, claiming it stifles competition |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/yelp-files-antitrust-suit-against-google-claiming-it-stifles-competition-e1fdcf6f?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=MarketWatch |language=EN-US}} Similar allegations have also been raised regarding other major internet companies, such as Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Alex |date=2018-07-25 |title=Twitter appears to have fixed "shadow ban" of prominent Republicans like the RNC chair and Trump Jr.'s spokesman |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/twitter-is-shadow-banning-prominent-republicans-like-the-rnc-chair-and-trump-jrs-spokesman/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=How Meta's platforms normalize anti-Palestinian racism |url=https://www.mei.edu/publications/how-metas-platforms-normalize-anti-palestinian-racism |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Middle East Institute |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Meta expands hate speech policy to remove more posts targeting 'Zionists' |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-expands-hate-speech-policy-remove-more-posts-targeting-zionists-2024-07-09/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Reuters}}{{Cite magazine |last=Barrett |first=Brian |title=The X-ification of Meta |url=https://www.wired.com/story/the-x-ification-of-meta/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |last=Zilber |first=Ariel |date=2025-01-09 |title=Mark Zuckerberg ended Facebook censorship after his post about MMA knee injury got demoted: report |url=https://nypost.com/2025/01/09/business/mark-zuckerberg-ended-facebook-censorship-after-his-post-about-mma-knee-injury-failed-to-go-viral-report/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last=Younes |first=Rasha |date=2023-12-21 |title=Meta's Broken Promises |url=https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/12/21/metas-broken-promises/systemic-censorship-palestine-content-instagram-and |journal=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}

In 2016, the Household Survey on India's Citizen Environment & Consumer Economy found that while only 60% of Indian households had access to basic sanitation, 88% owned mobile phones.{{Citation |last1=Jain |first1=Lyric |title=Misinformation and the Indian Election: Case Study |date=2021 |work=Data Science for Fake News: Surveys and Perspectives |pages=257–280 |editor-last=P |editor-first=Deepak |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-62696-9_13 |access-date=2025-01-15 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-62696-9_13 |isbn=978-3-030-62696-9 |last2=Bandhakavi |first2=Anil |editor2-last=Chakraborty |editor2-first=Tanmoy |editor3-last=Long |editor3-first=Cheng |editor4-last=G |editor4-first=Santhosh Kumar}} This widespread mobile connectivity has driven a surge in internet adoption. By 2023, India had the second-largest internet user base in the world, with approximately 900 million connected users.{{Cite web |title=Topic: Internet usage in India |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/2157/internet-usage-in-india/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241228134411/https://www.statista.com/topics/2157/internet-usage-in-india/ |archive-date=2024-12-28 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Statista |language=en}}

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's Hindu nationalist ruling party, has actively leveraged the internet and social media to spread misinformation and fake news to achieve its political objectives.{{Cite news |date=2019-05-21 |title=Alarming lessons from Facebook's push to stop fake news in India |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/alarming-lessons-from-facebooks-push-to-stop-fake-news-in-india/articleshow/69421474.cms |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=How Modi and the BJP turned WhatsApp into an election-winning machine |url=https://restofworld.org/2024/bjp-whatsapp-modi/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Rest of World |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Nielsen |first=Rasmus Kleis |date=2019-03-24 |title=Disinformation is everywhere in India |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/disinformation-is-everywhere-in-india/article26626745.ece |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite web |date=2019-02-04 |title=How WhatsApp is battling misinformation in India, where 'fake news is part of our culture' |url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-india-whatsapp-2019-story.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=AltNews.in |first=Pooja Chaudhuri |date=2020-02-10 |title=Amit Malviya's fake news fountain: 16 pieces of misinformation spread by the BJP IT cell chief |url=https://scroll.in/article/952731/amit-malviyas-fake-news-fountain-16-pieces-of-misinformation-spread-by-the-bjp-it-cell-chief |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Scroll.in |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-11-25 |title=How misinformation was weaponized in 2019 Lok Sabha election - A compilation - Alt News |url=https://www.altnews.in/how-misinformation-was-weaponized-in-2019-lok-sabha-election-a-compilation/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125115917/https://www.altnews.in/how-misinformation-was-weaponized-in-2019-lok-sabha-election-a-compilation/ |archive-date=25 November 2020 }}{{Cite web |title=Hate Spin |url=https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262534406/hate-spin/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=MIT Press |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-11-19 |title=For far-right groups in India, Instagram has become a place to promote violence, report shows |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/for-far-right-groups-in-india-instagram-has-become-a-place-to-promote-violence-report-shows |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=PBS News |language=en-us}}{{Cite magazine |last=Elliott |first=Vittoria |title=Hate Speech Proliferates on YouTube in India, Research Finds |url=https://www.wired.com/story/youtube-hate-speech-india-elections/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} There are two main elements to this propaganda machine: fake news websites, and troll armies.

Several Indian news websites have been known to disseminate fake news. Notable examples include OpIndia,{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Basant |date=3 January 2020 |title=Fake news, lies, Muslim bashing, and Ravish Kumar: Inside OpIndia's harrowing world |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/01/03/fake-news-lies-muslim-bashing-and-ravish-kumar-inside-opindias-harrowing-world |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131220528/https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/01/03/fake-news-lies-muslim-bashing-and-ravish-kumar-inside-opindias-harrowing-world |archive-date=31 January 2021 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=Newslaundry}}{{Cite web |last=Vij |first=Shivam |date=27 May 2020 |title=India's anti-Muslim fake news factories are following the anti-Semitic playbook |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/india-anti-muslim-fake-news-factories-anti-semitic-playbook/430332/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603113835/https://theprint.in/opinion/india-anti-muslim-fake-news-factories-anti-semitic-playbook/430332/ |archive-date=3 June 2020 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=ThePrint}} Postcard News,{{Cite web |last=Surendran |first=Vivek |date=30 March 2018 |title=Postcard News editor arrested for spreading fake news, BJP leaders call for release |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/postcard-news-editor-mahesh-hegde-booked-for-spreading-fake-news-arrested-in-bengaluru-1201009-2018-03-30 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202031832/https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/postcard-news-editor-mahesh-hegde-booked-for-spreading-fake-news-arrested-in-bengaluru-1201009-2018-03-30 |archive-date=2 February 2021 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=India Today}}{{Cite web |last=Dutta |first=Amrita Nayak |date=2 May 2019 |title=Postcard, Indiatimes in Poynter list of 513 'fake news' websites |url=https://theprint.in/india/postcard-indiatimes-in-poynter-list-of-513-fake-news-websites/230016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122050314/https://theprint.in/india/postcard-indiatimes-in-poynter-list-of-513-fake-news-websites/230016/ |archive-date=22 January 2021 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=ThePrint}} and Asian News International (ANI).{{Cite news |last=Dhillon |first=Amrit |date=2019-01-05 |title=Indian PM lampooned for 'manufactured' interview |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/05/indian-pm-narendra-modi-lampooned-for-manufactured-interview |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Ahluwalia |first=Harveen |date=2018-10-21 |title=How ANI quietly built a monopoly |url=https://the-ken.com/story/ani-video-news-monopoly/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Ken |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tiwari |first=Ayush |date=2019-09-18 |title=Meet ANI's 'European experts' on Kashmir. They're experts all right — just not on Kashmir |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2019/09/18/ani-news-european-experts-kashmir |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newslaundry |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=How ANI Reports The Government's Version Of Truth |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/ani-reports-government-version-truth |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=caravanmagazine.in |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Indian Chronicles: deep dive into a 15-year operation targeting the EU and UN to serve Indian interests |url=https://www.disinfo.eu/publications/indian-chronicles-deep-dive-into-a-15-year-operation-targeting-the-eu-and-un-to-serve-indian-interests/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=EU DisinfoLab |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=ANI, Srivastava Group named in massive EU disinformation campaign to promote Modi government's interests |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/media/ani-srivastava-group-named-in-eu-disinformation-campaign-to-promote-modi-govts-interests |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=caravanmagazine.in |language=en}} Because of the amount of fake news originating from Indian and India-linked news organizations, it has been called the "disinformation capital of the world".{{Cite web |date=2024-02-26 |title=How Disinformation Erodes the World's Largest Democracy - The Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR) ,Hitotsubashi University |url=https://ggr.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/en/2024/02/26/how-disinformation-erodes-the-worlds-largest-democracy/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=ggr.hias.hit-u.ac.jp |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Owen Jones |first=Marc |date=October 16, 2023 |title=Analysis: Why is so much anti-Palestinian disinformation coming from India? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/16/analysis-why-is-so-much-anti-palestinian-disinformation-coming-from-india |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016033805/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/16/analysis-why-is-so-much-anti-palestinian-disinformation-coming-from-india |archive-date=16 October 2023 |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}

In 2019, [https://www.disinfo.eu EU DisinfoLab] , a European News Watchdog, discovered 265 bogus news websites in more than 65 countries that were managed by "Indian influence networks" to influence international public perception on Pakistan, and target policy makers in the United States and the European Union to act against Pakistan.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2019-11-14 |title=India disinformation network targets Pakistan, says European watchdog |url=https://www.trtworld.com/asia/india-disinformation-network-targets-pakistan-says-european-watchdog-31371 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117040832/https://www.trtworld.com/asia/india-disinformation-network-targets-pakistan-says-european-watchdog-31371 |archive-date=Nov 17, 2019 |access-date=2019-11-19 |website=TRTWorld}}{{Cite news |date=2019-11-13 |title=Uncovered: 265 coordinated fake local media outlets serving Indian interests |url=https://www.disinfo.eu/2019/11/13/uncovered-265-coordinated-fake-local-media-outlets-serving-indian-interests/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116041115/https://www.disinfo.eu/2019/11/13/uncovered-265-coordinated-fake-local-media-outlets-serving-indian-interests/ |archive-date=2019-11-16 |access-date=2019-11-19 |website=EU DisinfoLab |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last1=Bhargava |first1=Yuthika |date=14 November 2019 |title=265 fake news websites in over 65 countries managed by Indian influence networks: study |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/265-fake-news-websites-in-over-65-countries-managed-by-indian-influence-networks-study/article29967820.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018232937/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/265-fake-news-websites-in-over-65-countries-managed-by-indian-influence-networks-study/article29967820.ece |archive-date=18 October 2020 |access-date=25 November 2019 |work=The Hindu |issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite news |date=2020-12-09 |title=Une vaste campagne de désinformation et d'influence indienne en Europe dévoilée |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2020/12/09/une-vaste-campagne-de-desinformation-et-d-influence-indienne-en-europe-devoilee_6062761_4355770.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=fr}} By 2020, the number of such pro-India fake news websites grew to 750 across 116 countries.{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Abid |last2=Menon |first2=Shruti |date=10 December 2020 |title=The dead professor and the vast pro-India disinformation campaign |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55232432 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112173402/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55232432 |archive-date=12 November 2022 |access-date=10 December 2020 |work=BBC |quote=The network was designed primarily to "discredit Pakistan internationally" and influence decision-making at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and European Parliament, EU DisinfoLab said.}} These disinformation websites mimicked legitimate news platforms while planting anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim opinion pieces and fabricated stories—often citing or quoting individuals affiliated with dubious think tanks and fake NGOs.{{cite news |last1=Carmichael |first1=Flora |last2=Hussain |first2=Abid |date=16 December 2019 |title=Pro-Indian 'fake websites targeted decision makers in Europe' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50749764 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209100509/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50749764 |archive-date=9 December 2020 |access-date=10 December 2020 |work=BBC |quote=The websites all copy syndicated content from news organisations to make them look like real news sites. They then plant anti-Pakistan stories and opinion pieces from employees of NGOs linked to the network to serve India's lobbying interests, researchers found.}}{{Cite web |last=Jahangir |first=Ramsha |date=2020-12-10 |title=Indian network lobbying against Pakistan exposed |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}} Although many of these sites were shut down after being exposed, several were quickly resurrected under different names, continuing their operations.{{cite news |last=Jahangir |first=Ramsha |date=10 December 2020 |title=Indian network lobbying against Pakistan exposed |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210144049/https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |archive-date=10 February 2021 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Dawn}} Moreover, [https://www.disinfo.eu EU DisinfoLab] itself became the target of impersonation by a Hindu nationalist fake news website named "DisInfoLab."{{Cite web |last=Werleman |first=C. J. |date=2022-02-09 |title=Disinfo Lab: An Online Hindu Nationalist Disinformation Campaign |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2022/02/09/disinfo-lab-an-online-hindu-nationalist-disinformation-campaign/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Byline Times |language=en-GB}} The impersonator's website claimed to "[unveil] fake news and propaganda that intend to create turmoil among people," while discrediting legitimate news as fake and promoting fabricated stories as credible.

According to BBC News, many of the fake news websites uncovered by [https://www.disinfo.eu EU DisinfoLab] were operated by the Srivastava Group, an Indian company directly responsible for lobbying European Parliamentarians and disseminating anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim disinformation and propaganda across Europe. The group's operations extended internationally, with a particularly strong presence in European cities like Brussels, Geneva and Strasbourg, co-ordinating demonstrations and social media campaigns.

Some of the fake news websites operated by the Srivastava Group included "Manchester Times," "Times of Los Angeles," (a misleading imitation of the Los Angeles Times) "Times of Geneva," "Arizona Herald," "TajikistanNews.net," "Sierra Leone Times," and "New Delhi Times".{{cite news |last1=Carmichael |first1=Flora |last2=Hussain |first2=Abid |date=16 December 2019 |title=Pro-Indian 'fake websites targeted decision makers in Europe' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50749764 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209100509/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50749764 |archive-date=9 December 2020 |access-date=10 December 2020 |work=BBC |quote=The websites all copy syndicated content from news organisations to make them look like real news sites. They then plant anti-Pakistan stories and opinion pieces from employees of NGOs linked to the network to serve India's lobbying interests, researchers found.}} These websites engaged in various deception tactics, including: Impersonating European lawmakers, dead human rights activists, and journalists; forging European Parliament letterheads; impersonating legitimate media agencies like The Economist and Voice of America; listing fake phone numbers and addresses, even at the UN; creating obscure book-publishing companies; registering hundreds of fake NGOs, think tanks, informal groups, and imam organizations to add credibility to propaganda; and conducting Cybersquatting on Pakistani domains.{{cite news |last=Jahangir |first=Ramsha |date=10 December 2020 |title=Indian network lobbying against Pakistan exposed |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210144049/https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |archive-date=10 February 2021 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Dawn}}{{cite news |last1=Saeed |first1=Saim |last2=Kayali |first2=Laura |date=9 December 2020 |title=New pro-India EU website enrolling MEPs campaigns against Pakistan |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/india-pakistan-website-european-parliament-campaign-eu-chronicle-china/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106123319/https://www.politico.eu/article/india-pakistan-website-european-parliament-campaign-eu-chronicle-china/ |archive-date=6 January 2021 |access-date=9 December 2020 |work=Politico}}

The primary focus of these fake news websites was to propagate anti-Islam propaganda by exploiting topics such as secessionist movements, minority rights, human rights violations, and terrorism in Pakistan.{{cite news |last1=Saeed |first1=Saim |last2=Kayali |first2=Laura |date=9 December 2020 |title=New pro-India EU website enrolling MEPs campaigns against Pakistan |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/india-pakistan-website-european-parliament-campaign-eu-chronicle-china/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106123319/https://www.politico.eu/article/india-pakistan-website-european-parliament-campaign-eu-chronicle-china/ |archive-date=6 January 2021 |access-date=9 December 2020 |work=Politico}}{{cite news |last=Jahangir |first=Ramsha |date=10 December 2020 |title=Indian network lobbying against Pakistan exposed |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210144049/https://www.dawn.com/news/1594928 |archive-date=10 February 2021 |access-date=11 December 2020 |work=Dawn}} These websites also had a presence on social media, particularly Twitter, where they further amplified their misleading content through Indian troll armies. Additionally, mainstream news channels in India have also been found to pick up and circulate these fabricated stories.{{Cite web |last=Mehmood |first=Asif |date=2023-05-01 |title=Indian media spreads fake 'grave' image to discredit Pakistan |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2414436/indian-media-spreads-fake-padlocked-grave-image-to-discredit-pakistan#google_vignette |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}

Another news website operated by Srivastava Group, EP Today (short for “European Parliament today”), was exposed by Politico Europe.{{Cite web |last=EUvsDisinfo |date=2019-10-09 |title=How to get the European Parliament to read Russia Today |url=https://euvsdisinfo.eu/how-to-get-the-european-parliament-to-read-russia-today/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=EUvsDisinfo |language=en-US}} The website claimed to be a "monthly news magazine for the European Parliament" and specifically targeted EU parliament members and the general public with propaganda. However, most of its articles were found to be copied verbatim from other news sources, particularly Russia Today. The website's Facebook page boasted 145,000 fans and its Twitter account had 6000 followers

After EU Today was shut down, it resurrected under new name, The EU Chronicle, claiming to deliever EU news. Its articles contained plagiarised text, and content mainly focused on promoting Indian lobbying interests. On Twitter, invastigators found that EU Chronicle account only posted two types of videos­ — MEPs congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day of India or his birthday, and a campaign of videos about alleged abuses against minorities and terrorism in Pakistan.

During the 2023 Israel–Palestine war, Indian media outlets, including prominent channels such as NDTV, Times of India, Republic, and Times Now, were identified as "leading proponents of spreading fake news" regarding the claim that Hamas had beheaded 40 Israeli babies—a claim that has been repeatedly debunked as false.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-10 |title=India is the epicentre of hate and misinformation against Palestinians |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231110-india-is-the-epicentre-of-hate-and-misinformation-against-palestinians/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Middle East Monitor}}

A significant component of the BJP’s computational propaganda machine is its "troll army"—a network of both paid and voluntary supporters who amplify the party’s narratives across platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter.{{Cite journal |last1=Campbell-Smith |first1=Ualan |last2=Bradshaw |first2=Samantha |date=2019-05-24 |title=Global Cyber Troops Country Profile: India |url=https://demtech.oii.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2019/05/India-Profile.pdf |journal=Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford}}{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=David |date=2019-04-11 |title=Modi's trolls are ready to wreak havoc on India's marathon election |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/modis-trolls-are-ready-to-wreak-havoc-on-indias-marathon-election/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last=Mok |first=Benjamin |date=2022 |title=Exploring Hindutva Online Subculture |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/48676736 |journal=Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=9–16 |issn=2382-6444 |jstor=48676736}} During the 2018 local elections in India, the BJP set forth an ambitious plan to have 900,000 WhatsApp groups, one for each constituency in the country.{{Cite news |date=2018-09-29 |title=For PM Modi's 2019 campaign, BJP readies its WhatsApp plan |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjp-plans-a-whatsapp-campaign-for-2019-lok-sabha-election/story-lHQBYbxwXHaChc7Akk6hcI.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241225131908/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjp-plans-a-whatsapp-campaign-for-2019-lok-sabha-election/story-lHQBYbxwXHaChc7Akk6hcI.html |archive-date=2024-12-25 |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en-us}} As of 2019, the BJP is believed to have between 200,000 and 300,000 WhatsApp groups.{{Cite web |title=Social media in India fans fake news {{!}} Lowy Institute |url=https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/social-media-india-fans-fake-news |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.lowyinstitute.org |language=en}}

These trolls are tasked with countering criticism of the BJP and India, both domestically and internationally.{{Cite web |last=Werleman |first=C. J. |date=2022-02-09 |title=Disinfo Lab: An Online Hindu Nationalist Disinformation Campaign |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2022/02/09/disinfo-lab-an-online-hindu-nationalist-disinformation-campaign/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Byline Times |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |date=2023-12-11 |title=Covert Indian operation seeks to discredit Modi's critics in the U.S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/10/india-the-disinfo-lab-discredit-critics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212062953/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/10/india-the-disinfo-lab-discredit-critics/ |archive-date=2023-12-12 |access-date=2023-12-16 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Onishi |first1=Norimitsu |last2=Isai |first2=Vjosa |date=2023-10-01 |title=Modi's Hindu nationalism stokes tension in Indian diaspora |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/01/asia-pacific/politics/narendra-modi-nationalism-india-diaspora/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Kazmin |first=Amy |date=2017-02-20 |title='I Am a Troll' by Swati Chaturvedi |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6dd90462-e3bd-11e6-8405-9e5580d6e5fb |access-date=2025-01-16 |work=Financial Times}} They are also known for aggressively promoting anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan rhetoric using vulgar humour, and fake or misleading content.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-13 |title=Junk news and misinformation prevalent in Indian election campaign {{!}} University of Oxford |url=https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-05-13-junk-news-and-misinformation-prevalent-indian-election-campaign?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.ox.ac.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Jignesh |date=2019-01-09 |title=Death of priest at Raebareli temple communalised on social media |url=https://www.altnews.in/death-of-priest-at-raebareli-temple-communalised-on-social-media/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Alt News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |date=2019-04-05 |title=WhatsApp: The 'black hole' of fake news in India's election |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47797151 |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=India: Violence-inciting fake news scourge tough to tackle – DW – 03/11/2020 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/whatsapp-in-india-scourge-of-violence-inciting-fake-news-tough-to-tackle/a-52709823 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=dw.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-05-28 |title=Clip, flip and Photoshop: Anatomy of fakes in Indian elections |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/india-lok-sabha-elections-fake-news-photoshop-lie-truth-1537053-2019-05-28 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=India Today |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-01-04 |title=BJP Resorts To Fake 'Lonely Woman' On Twitter To Drum Up Support For CAA |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/bjp-lonely-woman-twitter-caa-support_in_5e10660cc5b6b5a713ba970b |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} A study by the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford found that over 34.5% of visual content (mostly images) shared in BJP-affiliated WhatsApp groups was “divisive and conspiratorial.”

During the 2023 Israel–Palestine war, a significant amount of anti-Muslim rhetoric and pro-Israel disinformation was found to be orignating from social media accounts based in India. Influencers shared misrepresented videos claiming to show incidents such as schoolgirls being taken as sex slaves or Hamas kidnapping a Jewish baby. Additionally, pro-Israeli accounts from India played a key role in amplifying the term "Pallywood," which dismisses reports of Palestinian deaths as fabricated "Hollywood-like performances." These accounts often shared unrelated images and videos to falsely portray Palestinians as staging their injuries.{{Cite news |title=Civilian deaths are being dismissed as 'crisis actors' in Gaza and Israel |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/11/27/1214451419/civilian-deaths-are-being-dismissed-as-crisis-actors-in-gaza-and-israel |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=NPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Gandhi |first=Hazel |date=2023-11-13 |title=Israel-Hamas Conflict: Palestinians Targeted With 'Fake Death' and 'Pallywood' Claims {{!}} BOOM |url=https://www.boomlive.in/fact-check/palestine-israel-hamas-gaza-pallywood-fake-deaths-fact-check-23575 |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=www.boomlive.in |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Chatterjee |first=Swasti |date=2023-12-30 |title=2023Rewind: News And Fake News That Made Headlines In India {{!}} BOOM |url=https://www.boomlive.in/fact-check/2023rewind-news-and-fake-news-that-made-headlines-in-india-23978 |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=www.boomlive.in |language=en}}{{Cite news |title="Pallywood:" How denial of civilian harm in Gaza has proliferated |url=https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/pallywood-how-denial-of-civilian-harm-has-proliferated |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241116023407/https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/pallywood-how-denial-of-civilian-harm-has-proliferated |archive-date=2024-11-16 |access-date=2025-01-20 |language=en}}

Several instances of data poisoning attacks by Indian internet users have been observed. For example, searches for "Pakistani Punjabi" on Google Images often display several images of Indian Punjabis. This issue can be traced to the widespread mislabeling of images. For example, some online sellers tag traditional Indian Punjabi clothing as "Pakistani," potentially to exploit search trends or attract unsuspecting buyers.{{Cite web |title=Pakistani Designer Punjabi Suits Indian Readymade Salwar Kameez All Size Dresses |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/135256723717 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=eBay |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Glamorous Indian Punjabi Suits Pkistani Salwar Kameez Kurta Shalwar Women Dress |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/194604206998 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=eBay |language=en-US}} Google's algorithms, which rely heavily on website descriptions of images, consequently incorrectly categorize such images of Indian Punjabi culture as depicting Pakistani Punjabi culture. This intentional or negligent misrepresentation undermines Pakistani culture and its identity.

A similar issue arises when searching for "Pakistani girl," where images of Indian girls often appear in Google's results due to inaccurate website descriptions of these images. For instance, stock image platforms have been found selling images of Indian girls mislabeled as "Pakistani girl," potentially to mislead unsuspecting content creators.{{Cite web |title=Beautiful Young Pakistani Girl. Stock Image - Image of designed, pakistani: 7607857 |url=https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-beautiful-young-pakistani-girl-image7607857 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Dreamstime |language=en}}

Such data poisoning attacks pose increasingly significant concerns as this corrupted data becomes integrated into the datasets used to train AI systems. This process embeds misinformation and cultural biases into AI models, thus further propagating these biases.{{Cite web |date=2018-10-23 |title=Hackers, AI and the Risk from Deliberate Bias |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/2018/10/hackers-ai-and-the-risk-from-deliberate-bias/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=World Economic Forum}} For instance, an AI model trained on images of Indian clothing mislabeled as Pakistani clothing would likely replicate these errors, producing Indian clothing when asked to generate images of Pakistani clothing.

Another concerning source of data poisoning attacks on AI systems, particularly video generation AI models, is music videos and movies produced in India.{{Cite journal |date=2025 |editor-last=Dubin |editor-first=Adam |editor2-last=Goswami |editor2-first=Ruchira |editor3-last=Sharma |editor3-first=Ishita |title=Indian Cinema and Human Rights: An Intersectional Tale |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-97-6028-2 |journal=SpringerLink |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-97-6028-2|isbn=978-981-97-6027-5 }}{{Cite web |last=Jacob |first=Preminda |date=2024-04-29 |title=How Bollywood Films are Promoting Hindutva Politics and Influencing India's Elections |url=https://americankahani.com/perspectives/how-bollywood-films-are-promoting-hindutva-politics-and-influencing-indias-elections/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=American Kahani |language=en}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBXz-cafkRM&pp=ygUYYW50aSBtdXNsaW0gaW5kaWFuIG11c2lj |title=India: Anti-Muslim hate music {{!}} DW Documentary |date=2023-01-30 |last=DW Documentary |access-date=2025-01-20 |via=YouTube}} Indian music{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=NFPEE7x0fcDP9qkT&v=zC3UbTf4qrM&feature=youtu.be |title=Afghan Jalebi (Ya Baba) FULL VIDEO Song {{!}} Phantom {{!}} Saif Ali Khan Katrina Kaif Pritam Asrar T-Series |date=2015-09-25 |last=T-Series |access-date=2025-01-20 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=e4ZscgdaouB_O1UI&v=Abr67rZ-hYM&feature=youtu.be |title=Pakistan : Mankirt Aulakh (Official Video) Ft. DJ Flow {{!}} Latest Punjabi Songs 2022 {{!}} Sky Digital |date=2022-04-15 |last=Mankirt Aulakh |access-date=2025-01-20 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=VGx05fLzdenzBXe_&v=9_BUZaTcozs&feature=youtu.be |title=Mashallah Song {{!}} Ek Tha Tiger {{!}} Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Shreya Ghoshal, Sajid-Wajid, Kausar Munir |date=2012-12-27 |last=YRF |access-date=2025-01-20 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=97ziqGho5wOgDIjm&v=JFcgOboQZ08&feature=youtu.be |title=DILBAR Lyrical {{!}} Satyameva Jayate {{!}}John Abraham, Nora Fatehi,Tanishk B, Neha Kakkar,Dhvani, Ikka |date=2018-07-09 |last=T-Series |access-date=2025-01-20 |via=YouTube}} and films{{Cite news |last=Bhutto |first=Fatima |date=2023-02-03 |title=Bollywood is obsessed with Pakistan. We'd be flattered if it weren't so nasty |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/feb/03/bollywood-pakistan-muslims-narendra-modi-india |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite journal |last=Ali Shan |first=Ayesha |date=2023 |title=Portrayal of Pakistan and Muslims Characters in the Bollywood (Indian) Film Industry |url=https://hj.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1875503/FULLTEXT01.pdf |journal=Jönköping University - Master's Thesis |via=Jönköping University Library}}{{Cite journal |last1=Molaei |first1=Hamideh |last2=Hussain Babaei |first2=Sahar |date=2020-04-01 |title=Portrayal of Muslims in Bollywood: Case-Study of the Tanhaji Movie |url=https://wsps.ut.ac.ir/article_80335.html |journal=Journal of World Sociopolitical Studies |language=en |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=379–400 |doi=10.22059/wsps.2021.314905.1185 |issn=2588-3119}} frequently portray Pakistan and Muslims in stereotypical and racist ways. When AI systems are trained on such data, these biased portrayals can be absorbed into their models, increasing the likelihood that the AI will replicate and perpetuate these harmful and inaccurate depictions in response to future queries. Given the widespread availability of these AI models and the content they generate online, this dynamic further amplifies the dissemination of pro-Indian and Hindu nationalist narratives on the internet.