Virtual Lies, Real Dies

 

So, Hi… I’m back again, but this time the blog is a little different.

In today’s world, Artificial Intelligence can do things that were once considered impossible.

Which is true… and untrue at the same time. You must have heard about deepfakes. Yes, the very same issue that Amitabh Bachchan also raised his voice against.

But instead of taking his words seriously, people ignored the issue after seeing Rashmika Mandanna in a bikini scene from the movie Animal, and no strict action was taken.

And today, once again, a creator’s video has gone viral. How strange we Indians are— We focus on things that should be ignored, and ignore the things that actually deserves our attention.

Whenever a girl is raped in India, people come forward with candles for candle marches, but when it comes to saving a girl’s future, no strict action is taken.

The story I am about to tell you today is about a college-going girl named Natasha, whose final year was in progress. 

Natasha was a content creator and also very good in her studies. She was the only child in her family, and because of that, she was extremely dear to her parents. 

Cheerful, playful, and someone who made friends easily, Natasha was enjoying her life to the fullest. Then came the darkest day of her life.

One morning, Natasha arrived at college. She noticed some boys laughing while looking at her. It felt very strange, but she ignored them and went to her class. As soon as she sat at her desk, she noticed that everyone was staring at her in a very creepy way.

She was just about to ask her friend what was going on when the teacher stopped her friend from sitting with her or talking to her. Natasha felt extremely uncomfortable and hurt.

After some time, Natasha went to submit her assignment to the teacher, but the teacher ignored her as if she didn’t even exist.

Natasha felt terrible. She couldn’t understand what mistake she had made that everyone was treating her this way.

Just then, the lunch break bell rang. Natasha was going to wash her hands when a senior boy suddenly grabbed her hand and rudely asked,

“What’s your rate? Natasha doesn’t understand and asks,

“What do you mean?”

At that moment, another boy comes from behind and says,

“I mean, how much will you charge to come to a room?”

Hearing this, Natasha becomes extremely angry and shouts,

“Don’t you have any shame?” The boy replies, 

“I do—but maybe you don’t.”

Then the video is shown to her. The boy shows Natasha the video, and the ground seems to slip from beneath her feet.

Tears fill Natasha’s eyes and she screams, “This is not me!”

A crowd gathers there. Many teachers and students arrive and begin telling Natasha not to create a scene.

Crying uncontrollably, Natasha keeps saying,

“Teacher, this isn’t me. This is AI.”

From behind, a girl says sarcastically,

“Wow, how convenient—when a poor person does it, it’s an MMS, and when a rich person does it, it’s AI.”

Natasha feels extremely angry at her remark. Just then, the peon arrives and tells Natasha to come to the principal’s office. 

As Natasha walks with him, she feels very scared, because she realizes that the peon is looking at her with wrong intentions.

Natasha reaches the principal’s office, where her parents are already present. The principal informs Natasha that she has been expelled from the college.

Hearing this, Natasha breaks down and starts crying. Through her tears, she says,“Ma’am, that video is not mine. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Her parents also plead with the principal, saying that it is Natasha’s final year and asking how she could be expelled at such a crucial time.

The principal replies,

“Sorry, sir. We cannot put the college’s reputation at risk.”

Natasha’s parents take her home. Once there, they ask her why she did such a thing. Natasha tries to explain that she has done nothing wrong, but they refuse to believe her because they are not advanced enough to understand AI and its misuse.

They scold Natasha and tell her how relatives and friends have been calling since morning. The Natasha who had always received nothing but love and affection from her parents suddenly becomes someone they look at with disgust—for a mistake she never committed.

Natasha goes to her room and cries uncontrollably. She doesn’t know how to prove her innocence. She calls her college best friend, but her call is not answered. Natasha realizes that her friend doesn’t want to talk to her.

Then, she calls her school best friend, but sadly, that call is not answered either. Natasha completely breaks from the inside. She doesn’t know what to do or whom to talk to. At that moment, only one thing feels right to her.

Natasha goes to the terrace of her building, locks the door from outside, stands near the edge, and looks down.

While crying, she says,

“Mumma, Papa, I never wanted to insult you in front of society.”

Suddenly, a voice comes from behind. “Jump quickly.” Natasha turns around in shock. 

Someone who looks exactly like her is standing there.

“Jump quickly and prove everyone right—that you are wrong.”

Crying, Natasha screams,

“I haven’t done anything wrong!”

The voice replies,

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, then why are you running away like a coward?”

With tears in her eyes, Natasha says,

“Then what should I do? No one trusts me.”

The voice asks,

“So will committing suicide make everyone trust you?”

Natasha cries and asks,

“Then what should I do?”

The voice says, “Become a fighter. Fight for yourself. Fight for your parents. Because if you leave today, you will be considered wrong even though you are right—and those who are wrong will still walk free.”

The voice continues, “Natasha, running away is easy, but staying back and fighting is very difficult. In the end, victory belongs to the one who stands and fights.”

Natasha replies,

“It’s easy to say big things, but the truth is that by the time we prove the truth, lies have already traveled the entire world.”

The voice says, “No matter how much armor lies hide behind, they can never be stronger than the truth. No matter how hard you try to suppress it, truth never gets buried. If not today, then tomorrow, your truth will surely come out in front of everyone.”

“But until then, you must stay strong—for everyone you love.”

Lowering her head, Natasha says,

“You are right.”

And when she looks up again, there is no one there.

Natasha survives.

But who knows how many girls have fallen victim to deepfakes and attempted suicide—despite having done nothing wrong. Because of the lust of a few people, countless parents have lost the Lakshmi of their homes—their daughters.

If you have reached this far, it means you have read the entire story.

So I just want to say this: if you are going through a situation like this, I sincerely apologize to you—because this society is punishing you for something you never did.

And if you are not suffering from this, I pray that such a moment never comes into your life.

And if you are a boy, bro, I just want to say this:

If you are watching such videos or photos thinking that satisfying your lust today will end it—believe me, it won’t. This is something that never ends. In fact, consuming such content daily only increases it.

So bro, don’t ask for such links and don’t share them. One shared link can destroy someone’s life.

In the end, I’ll say just this: If there is someone around you who is suffering from this, trust them, support them, treat them with kindness, make them feel they are not alone, remind them that they are strong, praise them, and keep their environment safe.

Thanks for reading.

And let me know—should I post more blogs like this or not.