MAM
Join #DoosraStadium with SOCIAL this cricket season
Mumbai: As the cricket season engulfs India and the world, SOCIAL, a collective of creative neighbourhood cafés, is excited to launch its latest initiative celebrating the spirit of the sporting season. 5 October 2023 onward, all SOCIAL outlets across the country are hosting a cricketing frenzy offering a special cricket-themed menu, delectable munchies, wholesome meals to enjoy with your gang, a host of engaging initiatives, summed up with décor to give fans those stadium feels. India’s favourite hangout spots are turning into the #DoosraStadium, as patrons share in the joy and high of watching cricket with their buddies and loved ones!
The Stad-Yum Menu!
Fans can now immerse themselves fully in the unmistakable cricketing atmosphere at their favourite SOCIAL outposts, where a specially curated menu awaits. Scores of cricket-inspired dishes are now available for patrons during the season – such as the delectable ‘A.B. De Ribs,’ the tempting ‘Chauka Chakka Platter,’ the nostalgic ‘The 1983 Samosa Sampler,’ the satisfying ‘The 2011 Bucket,’ the innovative ‘The “Doosra” Shroom Shawarma,’ and the hearty ‘The 2023? Platter,’ among other cricket-themed, delish options. SOCIAL has also collaborated with Short Story (with SOCIAL’s very own Super Troopers) and Bira 91 to offer exclusive and special beverages to all its patrons across India during this season.
Get onto the Pitch, for VR-eal! ?️
Fans can also step into an immersive virtual reality (VR) zone at select SOCIAL outlets to fully immerse themselves in the stadium’s intensity, offering an enthralling experience that goes beyond the typical dining setting. Here, they can truly feel the highs and lows, the jubilation and tension, as if they were right in the midst of a cricket stadium. To add to the excitement, SOCIAL is hosting a leaderboard, and top contenders have the opportunity to win exclusive, official merchandise! SOCIAL has partnered with iB Cricket, India’s leading VR gaming company, to roll this out across over 10 SOCIAL outposts in India till 19 November 2023.
Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd CEO Mayank Bhatt said, “SOCIAL has always been that community-centric café where friends and families come together to create shared memories over fun and food. At the intersection of community and fun, lies sports. With #DoosraStadium, we’re bringing this sense of togetherness to life, celebrating alongside like-minded supporters and fans. From exclusive merchandise to a specially crafted menu, every element comes together to recreate the stadium-like experience in your city at a SOCIAL outpost near you!”
As India’s leading café chain, SOCIAL has been at the forefront of offering community-driven experiences around sports and entertainment; and the upcoming season promises to be no less with even more exclusive collaborations and engagements in store that create the ultimate second stadium experience for viewers, as they cheer on their favourite teams. Fans can come with their gang and predict the sixes and fours, surround themselves with a vibrant community of cricket enthusiasts, igniting an unparalleled excitement as curated cricket-themed cocktails and delicacies are served at all their favourite SOCIAL outlets from 5 October till 19 November 2023.
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.
