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'''Tek Fog''' was an alleged mobile phone [[softwareMobile applicationApp]] supposedly used by the India's ruling [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) for infiltrating social media platforms and promote favorable viewpoints and target party opponents . The<ref>{{Cite applicationnews was|date=6 referencedJanuary by2022 the|title=Tek IndianFog: newsAn andApp opinionWith websiteBJP [[TheFootprints Wirefor (India)|''TheCyber Wire'']]Troops into anAutomate articleHate, whichManipulate has then been retracted. <ref>{{Cite webTrends |titlework=10 Things You Need To Know About The Network Targeting Mohammed ZubairWire |url=https://thewire.in/uncategorisedtekfog/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-network-targeting-mohammed-zubairen/1.html |accessarchive-date=2022-11-076 |website=TheJanuary Wire}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Wire Editorial: To Our Readers, an Apology and a Promise2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106083630/https://thewire.in/mediatekfog/the-wire-editorial-to-our-readers-an-apology-and-a-promiseen/1.html |accessurl-datestatus=2022-11-03 |website=The Wiredeviated}}</ref>
 
<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 January 2022 |title=Explainer: Here's What the Tek Fog App Can Do, and Why You Should Care |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |archive-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107074250/https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |url-status=deviated}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog: Morphing URLs to Make Real News Fake, 'Hijacking' WhatsApp to Drive BJP Propaganda |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110060404/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |url-status=deviated }}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |date=14 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog in Action: Targeting Women Journalists, Pushing Communal Narrative on COVID, Delhi Violence |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/3.html |archive-date=3 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603211435/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/3.html |url-status=deviated }}</ref> The app was referenced by the Indian news and opinion website [[The Wire (India)|''The Wire'']] in an article which has then been retracted.<ref>{{cite web |title=10 Things You Need To Know About The Network Targeting Mohammed Zubair |url=https://thewire.in/uncategorised/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-network-targeting-mohammed-zubair |website=The Wire |access-date=7 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107221220/https://thewire.in/uncategorised/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-network-targeting-mohammed-zubair |archive-date=7 November 2022 |location=WayBack Machine |url-status=live}}</ref> On 23 October 2022, ''The Wire'' took down its Tek Fog story "for review" due to claims of possible disinformation in another investigation done by the same journalists.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-19 |title=The Wire: India website removes Meta investigation after row |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63226111 |access-date=2022-10-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-23 |title=The Wire retracts Meta stories, Tek Fog investigation to be reviewed too |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/wire-retracts-meta-stories-tek-fog-investigation-be-reviewed-too-169165 |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> Following the retraction of the article by The Wire other global news organizations also retracted their reports regarding Tek Fog.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bloomberg Retracts Column on Tek Fog |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/bloomberg-retracts-column-on-tek-fog/2022/10/31/a81bf690-5980-11ed-bc40-b5a130f95ee7_story.html |access-date=7 November 2022 |work=Washington Post |agency=Bloomberg |publisher=Washington Post}}</ref>
== The app ==
The supposed purpose of the software is to infiltrate social media platforms and promote favourable viewpoints through misinformation targeting users perceived to be BJP party opponents.<ref name="Culpan bloomberg" /><ref name="Le Monde" /> Tek Fog was also alleged to have managed a huge database of Indian citizens which included specific data regarding their occupation, religion, age, gender, etc., which was then used to deliver targeted insults and criticism.<ref name="Le Monde" /><ref name="WP">{{Cite news |date=7 January 2022 |title=A cyber commission was Congress' secret weapon |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/07/cyber-commission-was-congress-secret-weapon/ |id={{ProQuest|2617607410}} |archive-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107125558/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/07/cyber-commission-was-congress-secret-weapon/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A key function of the software was allegedly to manipulate trending features on [[Twitter]] and [[Facebook]] by automatically sharing or retweeting posts, and promoting existing hashtags to trending levels.<ref name="Culpan bloomberg" /> ''[[Le Monde]]'' commented that it is perhaps the most elaborate online political manipulation operation ever discovered.<ref name="Le Monde summation">{{Cite news |last=Leloup |first=Damien |date=6 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog, un vaste système pour manipuler l'opinion sur les réseaux sociaux en Inde |language=fr |trans-title=Tek Fog, a vast system to guide opinion on social networks in India |work=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2022/01/06/tek-fog-un-vaste-systeme-pour-manipuler-l-opinion-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux-en-inde_6108420_4408996.html |quote=C’est peut-être la plus élaborée des opérations de manipulation politique en ligne jamais découverte : le site d’information indien The Wire révèle, jeudi 6 janvier, l’existence d’un vaste système de manipulation des messages sur les réseaux sociaux en Inde. Mise en place, selon les investigations du média, au profit du parti hindouiste ultraconservateur Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), parti du premier ministre, Narendra Modi, cette opération, toujours en cours, est gérée par le biais d’une simple application pour téléphones : Tek Fog. |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106131809/https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2022/01/06/tek-fog-un-vaste-systeme-pour-manipuler-l-opinion-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux-en-inde_6108420_4408996.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Alerted by a disgruntled employee-turned-[[whistleblower]], the independent Indian news publication ''[[The Wire (India)|The Wire]]'' conducted a two-year investigation and published its findings in January 2022,<ref name="Culpan bloomberg" /> reporting that the Tek Fog application was used "to artificially inflate the popularity of the Bharatiya Janata Party, harass its critics and manipulate public perceptions at scale across major social media platforms" and to "amplify right-wing propaganda".<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2022 |title=An App Called Tek Fog Helps Cyber Troops With Links to BJP Automate Hate Online, an Investigation Reveals |language=en |work=NewsClick |url=https://www.newsclick.in/An-App-Called-Tek-Fog-Helps-Cyber-Troops-Links-BJP-Automate-Hate-Online-Investigation-Reveals |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106113353/https://www.newsclick.in/An-App-Called-Tek-Fog-Helps-Cyber-Troops-Links-BJP-Automate-Hate-Online-Investigation-Reveals |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
''The Wire'' investigation implicated the BJP, along with the private companies [[Persistent Systems]] and [[Mohalla Tech]] (which operates a service called ShareChat), in the deployment of the app. The BJP's [[Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha|youth wing]] (BJYM) members are said to have supervised the operators, giving them ideological directions. It reported that Mohalla Tech was involved in the management of Tek Fog, and that the whistleblower was paid via Mohalla Tech as their assigned client, and ShareChat was widely exploited by Tek Fog.<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan" /> The investigation found that [[Persistent Systems]] was involved in the production and management of Tek Fog. An internal source within Persistent Systems confirmed the involvement of the company, with 17,000 files connected to Tek Fog developed by Persistent Systems.<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan" />
 
Opposition parties denounced the app as a national security threat and demanded a probe. The ruling BJP and the prime minister [[Narendra Modi]] have not responded to ''The Wire'' report. BJP youth wing functionary Devang Dave, who is said to have supervised the operation, denied the party's involvement.<ref name="Culpan bloomberg" /> MP [[Derek O'Brien (politician)|Derek O'Brien]] has called for a meeting of the [[Standing Committee on Home Affairs|Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs]] to discuss the app.<ref name="parliamentary panel meet" /> [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] urged the Supreme Court to ask its expert panel to investigate the app.<ref name="Tribune News 7 Jan" /> The [[Editors Guild of India]] condemned "the online harassment of women journalists, which includes targeted and organised online trolling as well as threats of sexual abuse" and demanded steps to break up and dismantle the "misogynistic and abusive digital eco-system" of Tek Fog. The [[Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology]], in its response to the parliamentary committee, said that it had been unable to find the app in the mobile app stores.
 
On October 23, 2022, ''The Wire'' removed its Tek Fog investigation from its website, "pending the outcome of an internal review". ''The Wire'' has accused one of the story's authors of "deception" in a separate series of articles on [[Meta Platforms|Meta]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=2022-10-26 |title=The Wire blames retracted Meta story on 'deception' by staff member |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/26/23425377/the-wire-subject-deception-member-team-meta-india |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> On October 28, The Editors Guild retracted their earlier statement, citing concerns over the report's accuracy and insufficient "journalistic norms and checks".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Post Wire apology, Editors Guild retracts statement on Tek Fog, urges due diligence in reporting |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/post-wire-apology-editors-guild-retracts-statement-on-tek-fog-urges-due-diligence-in-reporting-445163 |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref>
 
== ''The Wire'' investigation==
An investigative report by ''The Wire'' claimed that Tek Fog was used by the [[BJP IT Cell|information technology cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP IT Cell) as part of its social media political propaganda campaign.<ref name="Quartz">{{Cite news |last=Subramanian |first=Samanth |date=6 January 2022 |title=Right-wing Indians have their own app to manipulate Whatsapp and Twitter |language=en |work=Quartz |url=https://qz.com/india/2110005/bjp-supporters-use-tek-fog-to-manipulate-whatsapp-and-twitter/ |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106135120/https://qz.com/india/2110005/bjp-supporters-use-tek-fog-to-manipulate-whatsapp-and-twitter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2022, [[The Wire (India)|''The Wire'']] reported that the Tek Fog app was used by BJP "to artificially inflate the popularity of the party, harass its critics and manipulate public perceptions at scale across major social media platforms."<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan">{{Cite news |last1=Kaul |first1=Ayushman |last2=Kumar |first2=Devesh |date=6 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog: An App With BJP Footprints for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/1.html |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106083630/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/1.html |url-status=deviated }}</ref><ref name="Le Monde">{{Cite news |last=Leloup |first=Damien |date=6 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog, un vaste système pour manipuler l'opinion sur les réseaux sociaux en Inde |language=fr|trans-title=Tek Fog, a vast system to guide opinion on social networks in India |work=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2022/01/06/tek-fog-un-vaste-systeme-pour-manipuler-l-opinion-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux-en-inde_6108420_4408996.html |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106135122/https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2022/01/06/tek-fog-un-vaste-systeme-pour-manipuler-l-opinion-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux-en-inde_6108420_4408996.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Quartz" />
 
Tek Fog was allegedly used to manage [[Astroturfing|inauthentic accounts]] en masse across multiple social media platforms. Tek Fog was able to [[Black hat (computer security)|hack]] contact lists of inactive [[WhatsApp]] accounts<ref name="Culpan bloomberg" /> and, impersonating the inactive WhatsApp account owner, send propaganda messages to the user's contacts.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />
 
''The Wire's report'' described the app as being capable of several actions.<ref name="The Wire Care" /> Some of the capabilities reportedly incorporated into the app are listed below:
 
===Hijacking social media trends===
The Tek Fog app is able to hijack the ''trending'' section of social media sites, [[Twitter]] and [[Facebook]]. Tek Fog's operators shared and forwarded social media messages to individuals or groups automatically. This was used to artificially inflate the popularity of "extremist narratives and political campaigns".<ref name="The Wire Care" />
 
===Phishing and capturing inactive WhatsApp accounts===
Tek Fog enabled the bulk-hacking of inactive [[WhatsApp]] accounts, and the mass-message the accounts' contacts with propaganda messages, with the messages sent appearing to recipieints to be the owner of the inactive WhatsApp account. Inactive WhatsApp accounts are live accounts which not in use by their owners, either because WhatsApp was uninstalled, or the user's phone was reset.<ref name="Part 2 Wire">{{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog: Morphing URLs to Make Real News Fake, 'Hijacking' WhatsApp to Drive BJP Propaganda |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110060404/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |url-status=deviated }}</ref>
 
The Tek Fog app worked by targeting active WhatsApp accounts and sending those accounts a media file (video or image) from an unknown number. The media file contained spyware that is activated after it is downloaded, at which point it renders the phone vulnerable to remote surveillance. The hacker is then able to monitor the activity status of that device. If the phone became inactive due to app-uninstallation or phone reset, the hacker could seize control of the target account and use it to send messages remotely, without the owner's knowledge.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />
 
Only inactive WhatsApp accounts were targeted, since owners of active WhatsApp accounts would inevitably learn of fraudulent messages being sent to their contacts remotely.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />
 
According to ''The Wire'', while verifying this activity, the whistleblower with access to Tek Fog was able to hack and take control of a test WhatsApp account used by its reporters "within minutes." The application then sent a message to all the frequent contacts of the captured account.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />
 
===Database of citizens' private information===
Tek Fog had an extensive, dynamic cloud database containing private citizens' personal information, such as "occupation, religion, language, age, gender, political inclination and even physical attributes like skin tone and breast size."<ref name="The Wire Care" /> ''The Wire'' received screenshots that showed these parameters.<ref name="The Wire Care" /> ''The Wire'' verified the existence of this database by monitoring harassment messages that were directed with a surprising amount of detail at female journalists who were among the targeted groups.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" /> The database could automatically generate messages, which were mostly hateful or abusive in nature, by either connecting to [[Google Sheets]] or automatically generating phrases.<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan" />
 
===Modification of existing news articles for fake news===
Tek Fog functionality included the ability to modify existing news articles to change their links and keywords. The changed link would then lead the reader to a webpage that looked similar to the original website but with fake content replacing the original author's article. The text modification capabilities were powered by artificial intelligence models.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />
 
===Automated messaging===
Tek Fog was also designed to send bulk automated-messages from fraudulent accounts which primarily contained political propaganda and abusive messages.<ref name="Wire Tek Fog Part 3">{{Cite news |last1=Kaul |first1=Ayushman |last2=Kumar |first2=Devesh |date=14 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog in Action: Targeting Women Journalists, Pushing Communal Narrative on COVID, Delhi Violence |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/3.html |archive-date=3 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603211435/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/3.html |url-status=deviated }}</ref>
 
Tek Fog users would use the app to send automated hate messages targeting Muslims and female journalists whose work diverged from the right-wing Hindutva BJP narrative. The researchers discovered that 18% of the 4.6&nbsp;million replies received by 280 prominent women journalists on Twitter, posted over a five-month period, were by accounts operated through Tek Fog.<ref name="Sanghera">{{Cite news |last=Sanghera |first=Tish |title=Tek Fog: Indian government weaponises social media |language=en |work=FairPlanet|date=15 January 2022 |url=https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/tek-fog-indian-government-weaponises-social-media/ |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228102220/https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/tek-fog-indian-government-weaponises-social-media/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
==Organisations purportedly involved==
Tek Fog's users were said to be a part of a political-corporate nexus that linked large technology players and platforms with the BJP political party.<ref name="The Wire Care" /> This nexus included:
 
* [[Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha]] (BJYM), the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party. Yuva Morcha, a former National Social Media and IT Head of Bharatiya Janata who currently worked as the election manager of BJP in Maharashtra, was the immediate supervisor of the person who was the source in ''The Wire'' investigation. BJYM members supervised the operators and gave them ideological direction. ''The Wire'' verified their involvement using the codes sent through their official email ID. These codes helped to identify the secure server hosting Tek Fog and external websites connecting to the Tek Fog server.<ref name="The Wire Care">{{Cite news |last1=Kaul |first1=Ayushman |last2=Kumar |first2=Devesh |date=7 January 2022 |title=Explainer: Here's What the Tek Fog App Can Do, and Why You Should Care |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |archive-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107074250/https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |url-status=deviated }}</ref>
* [[Persistent Systems]] is an Indian-American technology services company involved in development and maintenance. A current employee of the company provided documents related to the development of the application from the company's internal servers. They showed around 17,000 assets found when searching the term "Tek Fog."<ref name="The Wire Care" />
* [[ShareChat]] is a social media platform created by Mohalla Tech Pvt. Ltd. Tek Fog users also used ShareChat "to test and curate fake news, political propaganda and hate speech before automating it to other popular social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp". The involvement of ShareChat was verified through 14 accounts controlled by Tek Fog. These 14 accounts created posts on ShareChat, Twitter and Facebook in April 2020. ''The Wire'' found that 90% of the social media posts from these accounts were first uploaded on ShareChat, after which they were published on Twitter or Facebook.<ref name="The Wire Care" />
 
== Alleged victims==
The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) released a statement condemning the app stating that women journalists were "prime targets of the app" and noting that ''The Wire'' investigation listed several women journalists who received up to one million abusive tweets between January and May 2021, including [[Rana Ayyub]], [[Barkha Dutt]], [[Nidhi Razdan]], Rohini Singh, [[Swati Chaturvedi]], [[Sagarika Ghose]], Manisha Pande, [[Faye D'Souza]], [[Arfa Khanum Sherwani]] and [[Smita Prakash]].<ref name="DUJ Statement">{{Cite news |date=11 January 2022 |title=Delhi Union of Journalists Denounces Tek Fog, Demands SC Intervention |language=en |work=NewsClick |url=https://www.newsclick.in/Delhi-Union-Journalists-Denounces-Tek-Fog-Demands-SC-Intervention |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111122648/https://www.newsclick.in/Delhi-Union-Journalists-Denounces-Tek-Fog-Demands-SC-Intervention |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
On 9 January, journalist [[Arfa Khanum Sherwani]] released a list of prominent women from several religions including Hinduism who were targeted and harassed by hackers using Tek Fog.<ref name="DW Auction">{{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=India: 'Auction' of Muslim women on apps reveals widespread online abuse |publisher=Deutsche Welle |url=https://www.dw.com/en/india-auction-of-muslim-women-on-apps-reveals-widespread-online-abuse/a-60379358 |quote=Journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani then released on Sunday a list of prominent female voices from various faiths, including Hindus, who have been targeted and threatened by Tek Fog. |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111022001/https://www.dw.com/en/india-auction-of-muslim-women-on-apps-reveals-widespread-online-abuse/a-60379358 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
==Reactions==
The [[Editors Guild of India]], a national non-profit organisation of journalists, said that ''The Wire'' investigation "laid bare an extensive and well funded network built around an app, Tek Fog, which steals unused WhatsApp accounts to send out toxic messages to targeted journalists", highlighting the abuse received by women journalists and noting that "the purpose of these deeply hurtful messages was to instil fear in them".<ref name="EGI Quint 11 Jan">{{Cite news |date=11 January 2022 |title='Abusive Digital Ecosystem': EGI Demands SC To Take Cognisance of Tek Fog App |language=en |work=The Quint |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/abusive-digital-eco-system-editors-guild-demands-supreme-court-to-take-cognisance-of-tek-fog-app#read-more |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111080212/https://www.thequint.com/news/india/abusive-digital-eco-system-editors-guild-demands-supreme-court-to-take-cognisance-of-tek-fog-app#read-more |url-status=live }}</ref> The Editors Guild condemned "the continuing online harassment of women journalists, which includes targeted and organised online trolling as well as threats of sexual abuse", and demanded "urgent steps to break and dismantle this misogynistic and abusive digital eco-system".<ref name="Newslaundry Editors Guild">{{Cite news |date=11 January 2022 |title=From Tek Fog to 'Bulli Bai', Editors Guild condemns 'online harassment of women journalists' |work=Newslaundry |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/01/11/from-tek-fog-to-bulli-bai-editors-guild-condemns-online-harassment-of-women-journalists |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111054156/https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/01/11/from-tek-fog-to-bulli-bai-editors-guild-condemns-online-harassment-of-women-journalists |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Misogynistic abusive" />
 
The Guild has since retracted its statements, after ''The Wire'' took down the original articles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editors Guild retracts Tek Fog remarks after 'The Wire' takes down its articles |url=https://scroll.in/latest/1036058/editors-guild-removes-references-to-articles-on-tek-fog-after-the-wire-retracts-its-investigation |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
The [[Indian National Congress|Congress party]] called Tek Fog, "a poisonous weapon of the BJP's propaganda machinery, which is harmful to the country".<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=BJP conspiring to spread hatred in India: Rahul Gandhi |work=Kashmir Media Service |url=https://www.kmsnews.org/kms/2022/01/10/bjp-conspiring-to-spread-hatred-in-india-rahul-gandhi.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111070345/https://www.kmsnews.org/kms/2022/01/10/bjp-conspiring-to-spread-hatred-in-india-rahul-gandhi.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Ministry of Home Affairs Government of Maharashtra#List of Ministers of State|Minister of State for Home]] in the [[Uddhav Thackeray ministry|Maharashtra government]], [[Satej Patil]], questioned the silence of the Government of India and Information and Technology ministry over the Tek Fog expose. Patil demanded that the Union government should take cognisance of the issue.<ref name="Satej Patil">{{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=Satej Patil questions govt's silence on Tek Fog expose |language=en |work=Deccan Herald |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/satej-patil-questions-govts-silence-on-tek-fog-expose-1069918.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111054307/https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/satej-patil-questions-govts-silence-on-tek-fog-expose-1069918.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He made a public appeal to the victims from Mumbai targeted by Tek Fog app to register a police complaint, after which [[Maharashtra Police]] and [[Mumbai Police#Cyber Crime Investigation Cell|Cyber Crime Investigation Cell]] will investigate the case.<ref name="MoS Patil asks Victims">{{Cite news |date=12 January 2022 |title=Maharashtra: MoS Patil asks Tek Fog victims to lodge police complaint |language=en |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-mos-patil-asks-tek-fog-victims-to-lodge-police-complaint-7718450/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111210726/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-mos-patil-asks-tek-fog-victims-to-lodge-police-complaint-7718450/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Journalist Zarrar Khuhro wrote in [[Dawn (newspaper)|''Dawn'']] that Tek Fog "was used in many underhanded ways to promote the hateful [[Hindutva|Hindutva ideology]], and in particular to abuse and cow activists, journalists and opposition politicians".<ref name="Khuhro">{{Cite news |last=Khuhro |first=Zarrar |date=17 January 2022 |title=Fog and shadow |language=en |work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1669931 |archive-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117030030/https://www.dawn.com/news/1669931 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Devang Dave, head of BJYM IT Cell, denied that he or anyone from his organisation knew about such an app.<ref name="WP" /> Persistent Systems and Mohalla Tech denied any involvement with each other or with Tek Fog.<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Persistent confirms no involvement with Tek Fog, Mohalla Tech Pvt. Ltd and Sharechat |url=https://www.persistent.com/media/news/tf-statement/ |access-date=19 January 2022 |website=persistent.com |archive-date=18 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118221032/https://www.persistent.com/media/news/tf-statement/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Anand Venkatnarayanan, an Indian internet security researcher and author of a book on information warfare, said that Tek Fog is a military-grade [[psychological operations]] weapon. So far, the capabilities that are part of Tek Fog had only been accessible to [[state actors]] who used them against the population in enemy countries. He said, "Putting such a weapon in the hands of non-state actors affiliated to a political party contesting for mind space of citizens in a democracy has never been done before."<ref name="Culpan bloomberg">{{Cite news |last1=Culpan |first1=Tim |last2=Mukherjee |first2=Andy |date=12 January 2022 |title=India's Tek Fog Shrouds an Escalating Political War |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-01-12/india-s-tek-fog-shrouds-an-escalating-political-war-against-modi-s-critics |archive-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113001224/https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-01-12/india-s-tek-fog-shrouds-an-escalating-political-war-against-modi-s-critics |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
===Investigation by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs ===
On 12 January 2022, ''The Hindu'' reported that [[Anand Sharma]], the head of the [[Standing Committee on Home Affairs|Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs]], wrote to the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India]] seeking a response on questions surrounding Tek Fog. They directed the Ministry to co-ordinate with other ministries, and provide information on the app and its use by 20 January 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 January 2022 |title=Parliamentary panel seeks response on Tek Fog app |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliamentary-panel-asks-home-secretary-to-respond-on-tek-fog-app/article38258217.ece |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113002044/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliamentary-panel-asks-home-secretary-to-respond-on-tek-fog-app/article38258217.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
The investigation was initiated after several calls for the Standing Committee to investigate Tek Fog. [[Rajya Sabha]] MP [[Derek O'Brien (politician)|Derek O'Brien]] (of the [[Trinamool Congress]]), a member of the [[Standing Committee on Home Affairs|Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs]], previously wrote to [[Anand Sharma]], the [[Standing Committee on Home Affairs#Chairpersons|head of the committee]], to discuss the secret app "Tek Fog" that "has serious ramifications and could jeopardise national security." O'Birne wrote, "This application is capable of penetrating encrypted messaging platforms and secure social media conversations, in order to heavily manipulate and exploit narratives on said platforms."<ref name="Derek O’Brien">{{Cite news |date=6 January 2022 |title='Could Jeopardise National Security': Derek O'Brien Wants Standing Committee To Discuss 'Tek Fog' |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/government/tmc-mp-derek-o-brien-standing-committe-home-affairs-tek-fog |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106143641/https://thewire.in/government/tmc-mp-derek-o-brien-standing-committe-home-affairs-tek-fog |url-status=live }}</ref> Chairman Sharma was reported to have taken note of the matter, stating that it may be discussed in the next meeting of the Parliamentary Panel on Home Affairs.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 January 2022 |title=Parliamentary Panel on Home Affairs Likely to Discuss 'Tek Fog' Issue at Next Meeting |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/government/tek-fog-parliamentary-panel-home-affairs |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110070345/https://thewire.in/government/tek-fog-parliamentary-panel-home-affairs |url-status=live }}</ref> On 10 January, O'Brien wrote a second letter to convene a meeting to discuss Tek Fog. He wrote that the app provided an ability to hijack the WhatsApp accounts of citizens using spyware and use their inactive contacts of the hijacked number, which were uploaded to a database, to send mass messages. The letter also pointed out that this hacking technique was formerly used by the [[Pegasus (spyware)|Pegasus spyware]] before the [[NSO Group]] developed an even more sophisticated [[Zero-click attack|zero-click hijacking method]]. The application, per O'Brien, could send automated messages, spread misinformation, fake news and mislead citizens.<ref name="parliamentary panel meet">{{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=MP Derek O'Brien seeks parliamentary panel meet on 'Tek Fog' app |work=The Telegraph |location=India |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/mp-derek-obrien-seeks-parliamentary-panel-meet-on-tek-fog-app/cid/1846965 |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110113433/https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/mp-derek-obrien-seeks-parliamentary-panel-meet-on-tek-fog-app/cid/1846965 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
On 12 January, Congress leader and [[Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha|leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha]] [[Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury]] also wrote to the [[Standing Committee on Home Affairs#Chairpersons|chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs]], Anand Sharma, asking the committee discuss the "violative software application Tek Fog" in their next meeting.<ref name="Adhir Ranjan 12 Jan">{{Cite news |date=12 January 2022 |title=After Derek O'Brien, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Asks Standing Committee to Discuss 'Tek Fog' |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/politics/after-derek-obrien-adhir-ranjan-chowdhury-asks-standing-committee-to-discuss-tek-fog |archive-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112085629/https://thewire.in/politics/after-derek-obrien-adhir-ranjan-chowdhury-asks-standing-committee-to-discuss-tek-fog |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
The Parliamentary Standing Committee asked the Union Home Ministry to provide information about the Tek Fog app. On 12 February, responding to the request, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated, "The ministry has searched for the app on all prominent app stores and APK stores and could not find so called app in any of these online stores."<ref name="TN 12 Feb">{{Cite news |date=12 February 2022 |title=Supreme Court global leader with 1.81L virtual hearings |language=en |work=Tribuneindia News Service |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/supreme-court-global-leader-with-1-81l-virtual-hearings-369085 |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228154900/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/supreme-court-global-leader-with-1-81l-virtual-hearings-369085 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
===Call for Supreme Court intervention===
[[Indian National Congress|Congress]] spokesperson [[Supriya Shrinate]] held a press conference on the issue in which she "urged the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] to look into this and to punish, in no uncertain terms, the people who are behind this because no one should have the right or the freedom to erode India's democracy." Congress wanted the Supreme Court to get the issue examined by the expert panel that was looking into the alleged [[Pegasus Project revelations in India|use of the Pegasus spyware on Indian citizens]].<ref name="Hindu 7 Jan">{{Cite news |date=7 January 2022 |title=Initiate parliamentary probe into Tek Fog app: Trinamool |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/initiate-parliamentary-probe-into-tek-fog-app-trinamool/article38179671.ece |archive-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107181051/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/initiate-parliamentary-probe-into-tek-fog-app-trinamool/article38179671.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> Shrinate said that the app "targets Indian citizens and hurts the very foundation of our democracy."<ref name="Tribune News 7 Jan">{{Cite news |date=7 January 2022 |title=Congress accuses BJP of using 'Tek Fog' app to propagate its agenda on social media, seeks SC's intervention |language=en |work=Tribuneindia News Service |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/congress-accuses-bjp-of-using-tek-fog-app-to-propagate-its-agenda-on-social-media-seeks-scs-intervention-359136 |archive-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107170145/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/congress-accuses-bjp-of-using-tek-fog-app-to-propagate-its-agenda-on-social-media-seeks-scs-intervention-359136 |url-status=live }}</ref> Congress leader [[Rahul Gandhi]] called the app one of several "factories of [[Hate speech|hate]]" set up by the BJP.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 January 2022 |title=BJP has set up several factories of hate, Tek Fog app one of them: Rahul Gandhi |language=en |work=Deccan Herald |agency=Press Trust of India |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/bjp-has-set-up-several-factories-of-hate-tek-fog-app-one-of-them-rahul-gandhi-1069196.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110070345/https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/bjp-has-set-up-several-factories-of-hate-tek-fog-app-one-of-them-rahul-gandhi-1069196.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
The Editors Guild of India and Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), in their statements, also called for a Supreme Court inquiry.<ref name="DUJ Statement" /><ref name="Misogynistic abusive">{{Cite news |date=11 January 2022 |title='Misogynistic, abusive': Editors' Guild demands SC probe into Tek Fog app |language=en |work=The News Minute |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/misogynistic-abusive-editors-guild-demands-sc-probe-tek-fog-app-159735 |archive-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111105951/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/misogynistic-abusive-editors-guild-demands-sc-probe-tek-fog-app-159735 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
== Retraction and apology ==
On 23 October 2022, ''The Wire'' took down its Tek Fog story "for review" due to claims of possible disinformation in another investigation done by the same journalists.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-19 |title=The Wire: India website removes Meta investigation after row |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63226111 |access-date=2022-10-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-23 |title=The Wire retracts Meta stories, Tek Fog investigation to be reviewed too |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/wire-retracts-meta-stories-tek-fog-investigation-be-reviewed-too-169165 |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> ''The Wire'' also issued a formal apology to its readers.<ref name=":0" />
 
==See also==
Line 93 ⟶ 12:
{{reflist}}
 
==Further reading==
* Part 1: {{Cite news |date=6 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog: An App With BJP Footprints for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/1.html |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106083630/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/1.html |url-status=deviated}}
** {{Cite news |date=7 January 2022 |title=Explainer: Here's What the Tek Fog App Can Do, and Why You Should Care |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |archive-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107074250/https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |url-status=deviated}}
* Part 2: {{Cite news |date=10 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog: Morphing URLs to Make Real News Fake, 'Hijacking' WhatsApp to Drive BJP Propaganda |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110060404/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |url-status=deviated }}
* Part 3: {{Cite news |date=14 January 2022 |title=Tek Fog in Action: Targeting Women Journalists, Pushing Communal Narrative on COVID, Delhi Violence |work=The Wire |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/3.html |archive-date=3 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603211435/https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/3.html |url-status=deviated }}
 
==External links==
<!-- * {{Cite tweet |number=1479451120976084994 |user=thewire_in |title=Tek Fog: Quick explainer}} ''The Wire'' -->
* {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZVSImx585A |title=Prime Time With Ravish Kumar: Tek Fog App से सावधान! आपके बच्चों को दंगाई बना देगा |date=11 January 2022 |publisher=[[NDTV]] |trans-title=Prime Time With Ravish Kumar: Beware of Tek Fog App! [It] will turn your kids into rioters |lang=hi}}
* {{Cite news |title=NL Interview: Tek Fog exposé writers on BJP IT cell and what goes behind automated trolling |work=Newslaundry |date=21 January 2022 |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/01/21/nl-interview-tek-fog-expos-writers-on-bjp-it-cell-and-what-goes-behind-automated-trolling-3 }}
 
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party]]
[[Category:Cyberbullying]]
[[Category:Disinformation]]
[[Category:Internet manipulation and propaganda]]
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