Rana Ayyub, a well-known Indian journalist, recently became the target of a horrific online attack when her personal information was leaked, a process known as doxxing. The situation has worsened with the release of a deepfake video involving her. The video, purportedly manufactured and disseminated by right-wing social media accounts, has prompted international concern, with press freedom activists pushing the Indian government to take immediate action to safeguard the journalist.
What Is Doxxing That Happened To Rana Ayyub
Doxxing is disclosing personal information about someone online without their permission. It may include the victim’s real name, home address, workplace, phone number, financial information, and other personal details. Doxxing is often a harmful act directed toward those the hacker disagrees with or dislikes.
Rana Ayyub has been vocal about her stance against the current government which made her no stranger to the harassment in her job. But when a person leaked her number on X (Formerly Twitter) with a caption suggesting some horror films to her.
Taking to Instagram, the journalist wrote, “After filing a complaint, multiple FIRs, the protests and responses of journalism organisations, the police would spring into action. Instead, the guys who doxxed me and their allies went one step further. They generated a deepfake porn video screengrab with my image morphed on it.”
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Ayyub further revealed that the account even leaked her email, bank, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media passwords. They also shared her passport scans, electricity bills, home address, and email addresses, and even mocked her for her passwords. The fake news didn’t end there, they even spread fake news about her being arrested by UP STF and that she abused Hindu gods and hated India as well its citizens.
She further revealed,” One of the cops who I spoke to said ‘madam government badalne lo toh action bhi ho jaayega‘”
What’s the cost of speaking up, even if you’re going against the grain? Rana Ayyub’s recent terrible ordeal serves as a sombre, frightening reminder.
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