iWorld
PM Modi becomes first world leader to hit 100 million Instagram followers
Narendra Modi surpasses 100 million mark on 24 February 2026, more than double Donald Trump’s 43.2 million.
MUMBAI: PM Modi just dropped the mic on Instagram because when your follower count crosses 100 million, even the algorithm bows down. Prime minister Narendra Modi has become the first world leader and politician in history to surpass 100 million followers on Instagram, a milestone reached on 24 February 2026 that cements his unmatched digital reach among global political figures.
Modi’s official account now dwarfs the next closest leader, US president Donald Trump, who stands at around 43.2 million followers. The combined totals of the next five most-followed leaders Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto (15 million), Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (14.4 million), Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan (11.6 million), and Argentine president Javier Milei (6.4 million) still fall short of Modi’s individual tally.
The achievement arrives during Modi’s ongoing state visit to Israel, where he was awarded the Speaker of the Knesset Medal, the highest honour from the Israeli Parliament—for strengthening India-Israel ties. His address to lawmakers drew sustained applause, and informal moments, including selfies, underscored the blend of diplomatic and digital influence.
Modi joined Instagram in 2014 shortly after taking office. What began as a supplementary channel for sharing official engagements has evolved into a central outreach tool, featuring photos, reels, stories, governance highlights, foreign visits, cultural moments, and direct citizen connection. Analysts note Instagram’s visual-first format has proven especially effective for engaging younger demographics and building an active international audience beyond India’s borders.
Domestically, the gap is stark, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has around 16.1 million followers, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approximately 12.6 million figures that highlight Modi’s singular dominance on the platform.
Officials from the prime minister’s office called the milestone a reflection of “deepening engagement between leadership and citizens,” with Instagram enabling direct, unfiltered projection of policy, diplomacy, and cultural narratives to millions worldwide.
In an era where political influence increasingly spans physical and digital realms, Modi’s 100-million mark isn’t just a number, it’s proof that in the attention economy, the leader who masters the scroll can command a global stage like no one else.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
