MAM
21st Century Fox demerges, stocks on a high
MUMBAI: Last December, the 21st Century Fox had announced the separation of its business into two independent publicly-traded companies. And starting 1 July, the Rupert Murdoch owned News Corporation completed its separation process.
The news of the split affected the trading as the News Corp shares saw a downward slide while the stocks of 21st Century Fox closed with a little high on NASDAQ. The first day saw a two per cent increase in the 21st Century Fox shares. On the other day News Corp plunged five per cent.
The publishing firms like The Wall Street Journal and Harper Collins as well as the other news and information services will be under News Corp’s banner, while 21st Century Fox will have Star, Twentieth Century Fox, Fox, Sky, National Geographic, Fox News, Fox Sports and FX.
The Company’s assets will also include pay-tv businesses Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia and its equity interests in BSkyB and Tata Sky.
“21st Century Fox launches as a unique force bringing news and entertainment to more than a billion customers every day in over 100 languages,” said 21st Century Fox chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch. “Our success will continue to be rooted in a deep belief in originality and a commitment to empowering creative minds and entrepreneurs around the world. Our management teams are the best in the business and we will drive growth and shareholder value by expanding our existing assets and brands, while embracing new opportunities and technology.”
As previously announced, Rupert Murdoch will serve as chairman of the new News Corporation and chairman and CEO of Fox Group. Chase Carey will serve as president and COO of Fox Group, with James Murdoch continuing in his capacity as Deputy Chief Operating Officer.
MAM
Deepfakes target women in 93 per cent of cases, report finds
Pi-labs study shows 900 per cent rise in female-focused synthetic media; India sees 60 per cent jump in cybercrime complaints.
MUMBAI: Deepfakes aren’t just fooling cameras, they’re hitting women hardest, turning pixels into a new kind of weapon. A new report from creator intelligence platform Pi-labs has revealed that nearly 93 per cent of deepfake victims are women, with deepfake content targeting females surging 900% in recent years. The findings paint synthetic media as a fast-escalating digital threat with a stark gendered impact.
In India, cybercrime complaints involving women rose from about 50,000 in 2024 to nearly 80,000 by 2026, an increase of roughly 60 per cent in just two years. Almost 98 per cent of deepfake pornography is aimed at women, often powered by face-swapping apps and bot networks that disproportionately target females, including school-age girls. Victims typically fall in the 18–30 age group, with Bengaluru reporting a growing share of cases.
Globally, 62 per cent of deepfake abuse cases involving women go unreported due to stigma, in India, over one-third of women facing online harassment take no action, and many reduce their digital presence after abuse. Close to 33 per cent of women remain unaware of protective laws.
City-level trends show Bengaluru leading with nearly 30 per cent of complaints, followed by Hyderabad (14 per cent), Mumbai (13 per cent), Chennai and Kolkata (5 per cent each), and Delhi (3 per cent).
Pi-labs, CEO and founder Anukush Tiwari said, “AI is one of the most powerful technologies of our time, but like every powerful tool, it reflects the intent of those who use it. We are witnessing a growing trust deficit in digital spaces, where identity can be manipulated within minutes and reputations can be damaged overnight.”
Image morphing and deepfake videos remain the most common forms of misuse. The report also notes a new trend: fully AI-generated female personas (not based on real individuals) gaining high engagement on social platforms, raising questions about digital credibility.
Detection remains challenging due to widespread generative tools and rogue creators. Industry estimates suggest over 5,000 face-swap tools and more than 1,000 voice-cloning applications are accessible online.
pi-labs offers pi-authentify, an AI-driven detection system that scans media for generative markers and provides authenticity scores, as well as Namokavach, a verification portal delivering confidential assessments within two working days. The Payal gaming case was resolved using pi-authentify’s forensic analysis.
The report urges minimising digital footprints and adopting detection tools to limit replication risks. It frames the gendered impact of synthetic media as an urgent digital safety issue requiring coordinated action from individuals, platforms and technology providers.
In a world where faces can be borrowed in seconds, the real crime isn’t just creation, it’s the silence that follows, and women are paying the heaviest price.
