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{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Tek Fog|timestamp=20220111042328|year=2022|month=January|day=11|substed=yes}}

{{Short description|Application software used by BJP}}
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{{Use Indian English|date=January 2022}}
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'''Tek Fog''' is an [[application software]] used by the [[Organisation of the Bharatiya Janata Party#BJP IT Cell|information technology cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party]] as part of their social media campaigning to spread propaganda.<ref name="Quartz" /> 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" /><ref name="Monde" /><ref name="Quartz">{{cite news |last1=Subramanian |first1=Samanth |title=Right-wing Indians have their own app to manipulate Whatsapp and Twitter |url=https://qz.com/india/2110005/bjp-supporters-use-tek-fog-to-manipulate-whatsapp-and-twitter/ |access-date=6 January 2022 |work=Quartz |date=6 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=An App Called Tek Fog Helps Cyber Troops With Links to BJP Automate Hate Online, an Investigation Reveals |url=https://www.newsclick.in/An-App-Called-Tek-Fog-Helps-Cyber-Troops-Links-BJP-Automate-Hate-Online-Investigation-Reveals |access-date=6 January 2022 |work=NewsClick |date=6 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>.

Tek Fog was used to manage [[Astroturfing|inauthentic accounts]] en masse on social media. Tek Fog was capable of [[Black hat (computer security)|hacking]] inactive [[WhatsApp]] accounts en masse in order to mass message their contacts with propaganda messages, while impersonating the account owner. According to ''The Wire'', a whistleblower with app access was able to hack a test WhatsApp account controlled by reporters "within minutes."

An investigation by ''The Wire'' found that [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], [[Persistent Systems]] and [[ShareChat]] were involved in the use of the App. [[Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha]] (Youth wing of [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]) members supervised the operators and gave them ideological operation.{{Clarify|date=January 2022|reason=What does ideological operation mean?}} It reported that Mohalla Tech (the owner of [[ShareChat]]) was involved in the management of Tek Fog. The whistleblower, responsible for the discovery of Tek Fog, 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 Wire'' found that [[Persistent Systems]] was involved in the production and management of Tek Fog. An internal source within Persistent System 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" />

MP [[Derek O'Brien (politician)|Derek O'Brien]] has called for a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, to discuss the app.<ref name="parliamentary panel meet" /> [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] has 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 and dismantle the "misogynistic and abusive digital eco-system" of Tek Fog.

== ''The Wire'' Investigation==
An investigation by ''The Wire'' found that Tek Fog an [[application software]] was used by the [[Organisation_of_the_Bharatiya_Janata_Party#BJP_IT_Cell|information technology cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party]] as part of their social media campaigning to spread propaganda.<ref name="Quartz" /> 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 |title=Tek Fog: An App With BJP Footprints for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends |author1=Ayushman Kaul |author2=Devesh Kumar |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/1.html |access-date=6 January 2022 |work=The Wire |date=6 January 2022}}</ref><ref name="Monde">{{cite news |title=Tek Fog, un vaste système pour manipuler l’opinion sur les réseaux sociaux en Inde |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 |access-date=6 January 2022 |work=Le Monde.fr |date=6 January 2022 |language=fr}}</ref><ref name="Quartz" />

Tek Fog was used to manage [[Astroturfing|inauthentic accounts]] en masse on social media. Tek Fog was capable of [[Black hat (computer security)|hacking]] inactive [[WhatsApp]] accounts en masse in order to mass message their contacts with propaganda messages, while impersonating the inactive WhatsApp account owner.

===Hijacking of social media trends===
The Tek Fog app could hijack the 'trending' section of social media sites, [[Twitter]] and [[Facebook]]. The operators of Tek Fog could share and forward social media messages automatically by an individual or a group. 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 was capable of [[Black hat (computer security)|hacking]] inactive [[WhatsApp]] accounts en masse in order to mass message their contacts with propaganda messages, while impersonating the inactive WhatsApp account owner. Inactive WhatsApp accounts are those accounts that were not being used by its registered user, either because WhatsApp was uninstalled from the phone or the phone was [[factory reset|reset]].<ref name="Part 2 Wire">{{cite news |title=Tek Fog: Morphing URLs to Make Real News Fake, 'Hijacking' WhatsApp to Drive BJP Propaganda |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |access-date=10 January 2022 |work=The Wire |date=10 January 2022}}</ref>

As a first step of the process the targeted WhatsApp accounts that were active were sent a [[multimedia|media]] file (video or image) from an unknown number. The media file contained [[spyware]] that became active after download. The downloaded spyware would make the phone vulnerable to remote surveillance. The hacker would be able to monitor its activity status. When the phone became inactive due to (unistallation or reset). The inactive status would be visible to the hacker, who could take control of the target account and use it to send messages remotely, without the knowledge of the owner of the targeted WhatsApp account.

Only inactive WhatsApp accounts were targeted. Sending messages remotely from an active WhatsApp account would create suspicion from the original owner.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />

According to ''The Wire'', while verifying this exploit, 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." It then sent a message to all the frequent contacts of the captured account.<ref name="Wire Tek Fog 6 Jan" />

===Database of private citizens for targeted harassment===
Tek Fog had an extensive database of private citizens with information about their "occupation, religion, language, age, gender, political inclination and even physical attributes like skin tone and breast size." ''The Wire'' had received screenshots that showed these parameters. ''The Wire'' verified the existence of database by monitoring harassment messages that were sent with extreme granularity to "female journalists", who were among the targeted groups.<ref name="The Wire Care" />
=== Modification of existing news articles ===
Tek Fog had an ability to modify existing news articles to change its links and keywords. The changed link would then lead the read to a webpage that looked similar to the original website but had fake content, different from what the original author had written. The text modification capabilities were powered by [[artificial intelligence]] models.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />

===Automated messaging===
Tek Fog could send automated messages from inauthentic accounts automatically created in bulk. These primarily contained political propaganda and abuse messages.<ref name="Part 2 Wire" />

=== Political-corporate nexus===
The use of Tek Fog is part of a political-corporate nexus that had connected large tech players and platforms with the political party BJP.<ref name="The Wire Care" />

==Organisations involved==
* [[Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha]] (Youth wing of [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]). A former National Social Media and IT Head of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha who currently worked as the election manager of BJP in Maharashtra was the immediate supervisor of the source in ''The Wire'' investigation. BJYM members supervised the operators and gave them ideological operation. ''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 |title=Explainer: Here's What the Tek Fog App Can Do, and Why You Should Care |author1=Ayushman Kaul |author2=Devesh Kumar |url=https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |date=7 January 2022 |access-date=7 January 2022 |work=The Wire}}</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. It showed around 17,000 assets found by the searc term "Tek Fog".<ref name="The Wire Care" />

* [[ShareChat]] is a social media platform created by Mohalla Tech Pvt. Ltd. The operatives of the Tek Fog had 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 using Tek Fog. These 14 accounts had made posts on Share chat, 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 moved to Twitter or Facebook.<ref name="The Wire Care" />

==Victims==
The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) in a statement condemning the app said that the "Women journalists have been prime targets of the app. ''The Wire'' investigation lists women journalists who received up to one million abusive tweets between January and May 2021. They include [[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 |title=Delhi Union of Journalists Denounces Tek Fog, Demands SC Intervention |url=https://www.newsclick.in/Delhi-Union-Journalists-Denounces-Tek-Fog-Demands-SC-Intervention |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=NewsClick |date=11 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

On 9 January, journalist [[Arfa Khanum Sherwani]] released a list of prominent women from several religions including Hindus, who were targeted and harassed by Tek Fog.<ref name="DW Auction">{{cite news |title=India: 'Auction' of Muslim women on apps reveals widespread online abuse |url=https://www.dw.com/en/india-auction-of-muslim-women-on-apps-reveals-widespread-online-abuse/a-60379358 |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=10 January 2022 |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.}}</ref>

==Reactions==
The journalist body, [[Editors Guild of India]] 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", "several women journalists were subjected to thousands of abusive tweets". "The purpose of this deeply hurtful messages was to instill fear in them and prevent them from expressing themselves freely and go about their jobs."<ref name="EGI Quint 11 Jan">{{cite news |title=‘Abusive Digital Ecosystem’: EGI Demands SC To Take Cognisance of Tek Fog App |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 |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=The Quint |date=11 January 2022 |language=en}}</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." The Guild demanded "urgent steps to break and dismantle this misogynistic and abusive digital eco-system".<ref name="Newslaundry Editors Guild">{{cite news |title=From Tek Fog to 'Bulli Bai', Editors Guild condemns 'online harassment of women journalists' |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2022/01/11/from-tek-fog-to-bulli-bai-editors-guild-condemns-online-harassment-of-women-journalists |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=Newslaundry |date=11 January 2022}}</ref><ref name="Misogynistic abusive" />

[[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 |title=BJP conspiring to spread hatred in India: Rahul Gandhi |url=https://www.kmsnews.org/kms/2022/01/10/bjp-conspiring-to-spread-hatred-in-india-rahul-gandhi.html |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=Kashmir Media Service |date=10 January 2022}}</ref> The [[Ministry_of_Home_Affairs_Government_of_Maharashtra#List_of_Ministers_of_State|Minister of State for Home]] in [[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 |title=Satej Patil questions govt's silence on Tek Fog expose |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/satej-patil-questions-govts-silence-on-tek-fog-expose-1069918.html |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=Deccan Herald |date=10 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

===Call for meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs===
[[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]] wrote to [[Anand Sharma]], the head of the committee, to discuss the secret app "Tek Fog" that "has serious ramifications and could jeopardise national security". He 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 |title=‘Could Jeopardise National Security’: Derek O’Brien Wants Standing Committee To Discuss ‘Tek Fog’ |url=https://thewire.in/government/tmc-mp-derek-o-brien-standing-committe-home-affairs-tek-fog |access-date=6 January 2022 |work=The Wire |date=6 January 2022}}</ref> Chairman Sharma was reported to have taken note of the matter, and may be discussed in the next meeting of the Parliamentary Panel on Home Affairs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Parliamentary Panel on Home Affairs Likely to Discuss 'Tek Fog' Issue at Next Meeting |url=https://thewire.in/government/tek-fog-parliamentary-panel-home-affairs |work=The Wire |date=9 January 2022}}</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 spywares. The inactive contacts of the hijacked number would then be used to send mass messages. He wrote, "All of the hijacked number's contacts are synced to a database on cloud, ripe for picking as future targets of disinformation and harassment... It is 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 could send automated messages, spread misinformation, fake news and mislead citizens.<ref name="parliamentary panel meet">{{cite news |title=MP Derek O'Brien seeks parliamentary panel meet on 'Tek Fog' app |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/mp-derek-obrien-seeks-parliamentary-panel-meet-on-tek-fog-app/cid/1846965 |access-date=10 January 2022 |work=telegraphindia.com |date=10 January 2022}}</ref>

===Call for Supreme Court intervention===
[[Indian National Congress|Congress]] spokesperson [[Supriya Shrinate]] held a press conference on the issue where 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 |title=Initiate parliamentary probe into Tek Fog app: Trinamool |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/initiate-parliamentary-probe-into-tek-fog-app-trinamool/article38179671.ece |access-date=7 January 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=7 January 2022 |language=en-IN}}</ref> She said that the app "targets Indian citizens and hurts the very foundation of our democracy".<ref name="Tribune News 7 Jan">{{cite news |title=Congress accuses BJP of using ‘Tek Fog’ app to propagate its agenda on social media, seeks SC’s intervention |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 |access-date=7 January 2022 |work=Tribuneindia News Service |date=7 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Congress leader [[Rahul Gandhi]] called the app, one of the several "factories of [[Hate speech|hate]]" set up by BJP.<ref>{{cite news |title=BJP has set up several factories of hate, Tek Fog app one of them: Rahul Gandhi |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 |agency=PTI |access-date=10 January 2022 |work=Deccan Herald |date=8 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Editors Guild of India]] cited the investigative report by ''The Wire'', and urged the Supreme Court to order an investigation into the allegations that the Tek Fog app was used to harass women journalists with abusive tweets. The report had alleged that influential people from the ruling party BJP may be involved.<ref name="Misogynistic abusive">{{cite news |title='Misogynistic, abusive': Editors' Guild demands SC probe into Tek Fog app |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/misogynistic-abusive-editors-guild-demands-sc-probe-tek-fog-app-159735 |access-date=11 January 2022 |work=The News Minute |date=11 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) issued a statement, asking an "urgent inquiry by the Supreme Court into the role of social media and tech companies in amplifying the crime of Hate Speech,". The alleged use of the Tek Fog app by the ruling-BJP, was condemned by the DUJ.<ref name="DUJ Statement" />

==See also==
* [[Pegasus Project revelations in India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news |title=Tek Fog: An App With BJP Footprints for Cyber Troops to Automate Hate, Manipulate Trends |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/1.html |work=The Wire |date=6 January 2022}}
* {{cite news |title=Explainer: Here's What the Tek Fog App Can Do, and Why You Should Care |url=https://thewire.in/tech/explainer-heres-what-the-tek-fog-app-can-do-and-why-you-should-care |date=7 January 2022 |work=The Wire}}
* {{cite news |title=Tek Fog: Morphing URLs to Make Real News Fake, 'Hijacking' WhatsApp to Drive BJP Propaganda |url=https://thewire.in/tekfog/en/2.html |work=The Wire |date=10 January 2022}}

==External links==
* [https://twitter.com/thewire_in/status/1479451120976084994 Tek Fog: Quick explainer] ''The Wire''
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZVSImx585A Prime Time With Ravish Kumar: Tek Fog App से सावधान! आपके बच्चों को दंगाई बना देगा] ''[[NDTV]]''
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party]]
[[Category:Cyberbullying]]
[[Category:Disinformation]]

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