Letters to THE EDITOR: Deepfake challenge

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Deepfake challenge

Recent deepfake videos of actors Rashmika Mandanna and Katrina Kaif showed us how helpless we are as dupes and victims of AI. It is alarming how people are misusing technology. How do they get these ideas? Even a celebrity is no exception, so imagine what can happen to a normal girl or a boy. The cyber cell needs to be more proactive. The cyber platforms should be stricter with their policies. Social media needs to filter out certain things, or else it will become a menace for people, businesses, and governments.

Jahangir Ali,

Guwahati

Digital revolution sweeps across legal field

That law is an instrument of social change is an often repeated statement, and new law graduates have the onerous task of shaping the societal discourse. Brilliant lawyers graced India's political spectrum in the early days of independence, and many still continue to do so, but the paucity of the liveliness and utility of the legal profession has been a subject of boardroom discussions. That as many as twenty-one national law schools are imparting legal education is a sign of change, though there is a feeling that these schools are merely “churning out" graduates. The gap between theory and practice in the law curriculum is yet to be fully cemented.

The digital revolution, described as the “fourth industrial revolution", is one thing that all law graduates have to keep their eyes on because it has swept across India like never before and has the potential to expedite legal processes and procedures. There is no dearth of laws in the country, and with the proliferation of foreign law firms, law graduates have much to pick from. An international internship may also tune up the young minds to keep abreast of the latest global developments. Conversely, the plethora of opportunities have mired the young minds in confusion because a lot of them seem to be in two minds about becoming full-fledged lawyers, even as corporate and academic careers beckon them.

Dr. Ganapathi Bhat

Akola

Fireworks harm nonhuman animals

Fireworks and other explosive materials, whose reactions can produce sparks, flames, and fumes cause various harm to nonhuman animals.

Noises caused by fireworks and firecrackers can lead to loss of hearing and tinnitus. The hearing of many animals is much more sensitive than it is in humans, so the explosions of fireworks are not only more disturbing to them, but they can damage their hearing more severely.

In addition to these harms, the noise caused by fireworks can harm animals by causing fear in them. In fact, repeated exposure to unexpected, unpredictable loud noises can cause phobias in many animals, increasing panic reactions to loud noises in the future. For this reason, the only really satisfactory solution is to reject the use of fireworks.

Chandasmita Kashyap

Gauhati University, Guwahati

Bhupen Hazarika

and FM radio stations

December 5, 2023, was the death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika. The maestro was specifically remembered all over Assam, and people from different walks of life paid tribute to the Sudakantha for his immense contributions to art, literature, culture, etc. Music competitions, music functions, etc. were organised on this occasion in every nook and cranny of the state. The man himself touched the lives of millions, and hence, he is still very popular. People still get very emotional while listening to the compositions of the legend, irrespective of their age, young or old.

However, the FM radio stations, especially those based in Guwahati, totally disappointed us in this regard. Yours truly tuned into all FM radio stations in Guwahati in the evening hours of last Sunday and was hurt to find that there was no mention of the death anniversary of Dr. Hazarika by any one of the FM stations in Guwahati, least of all playing his songs and music.

Further, the FM radio stations seem to be out of tune with the requirements of the market here. The focus seems to be solely on the generation of advertisement revenue, with little care for the content. Elsewhere in India, FM radios have a great connection with listeners and cater to the tastes of various kinds of listeners. But local FM stations here are content to play some loud music without any care for the preferences of their listeners.

D Bhutia,

Zoo Road, Guwahati

Rehabilitation centres

Of late, there appears to be a mushrooming growth of rehabilitation centres, which are NGOs, across the state. The aim and purpose behind this move have become necessary because of the alarming incidences of drug abuse among the youth of the state. But of late, incidents of suicide and other accidents have become very common in these rehabilitation centres. We understand that these rehabilitation centres receive good financial aid from the government to run them. Hence, proper surveillance from the government in the management of these centres has become very necessary, as there is every possibility of misuse of the allotted funds received by these rehabilitation centres, which none can deny.

Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Proud Moment

The Indian women's hockey team performed brilliantly and brought glory to the country by defeating Japan 4-0 in the final of the Women's Hockey Asia Cup in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The Indian women's hockey team performed brilliantly throughout this tournament and entered the finals by defeating strong teams like South Korea and Malaysia. The team has been performing consistently well since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, in which India finished fourth. Recently, India also displayed a great performance in the Asian Games, in which India won the bronze medal. The Indian women's team has secured a ticket to the Paris Olympics by winning the final match of the Asia Hockey Cup played in Ranchi. This is also a big achievement. The Indian women's team has been in eighth place in the rankings, but now India's ranking will also improve, and with new confidence, it is expected to perform brilliantly in the Paris Olympics in 2024. Moreover, the Indian men's hockey team also performed brilliantly in this tournament and secured the ticket for the Paris Olympics by winning the gold medal. In this way, both India's women's and men's hockey teams performed brilliantly, making India proud.

Nawaz Ashraf

Guwahati

‘Laws of Cricket and Sportsmanship Spirit’

In an ICC CWC match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Sri Lankan batter Angelo Mathews was ruled "timed out," and he became the first batter to be given out so in international cricket.

The rule says that an incoming batter should be ready to face the first ball within 2 minutes following the fall of a wicket or the retirement of the previous batter. As per the rule, Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka was timed "out" by the umpire on appeal from Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan. However, this looks like an unsportsmanlike attitude from the Bangladeshi side. Mathews took his time while walking in at the fall of Sadeera Samarwikrama and then was not ready to face bowler Shakib due to the broken strap of his helmet. As he signalled to the dressing room for a new helmet, the Bangladesh team appealed for "Timed Out". The Sri Lankan all-rounder tried to explain to the umpires his problem, but the decision was not withdrawn, and a disappointed Mathews had to walk back to the pavilion without facing a single delivery.

While representing a nation on the biggest stage, the players tend to grab every single opportunity to win matches, and while doing so, sometimes they fail to care about being fair and ethical. Mankading is another rare mode of dismissal that often creates confusion and similar controversy among the fans. These are the rules that divide the entire cricket community into two halves. While one half goes with the law of the game, the other half wants the players to behave like gentlemen. The law makers and administrators of the game should therefore rethink these rules and bring some amendments and proper solutions regarding them.

When you are a professional sportsperson, you are expected to follow the rules and play accordingly. But winning should not always be the topmost priority. Cricket is a gentleman's game, and you have to uplift the spirit of the game through your positive attitude. Sports, art, literature, and culture create an atmosphere of joy and happiness. They spread brotherhood and harmony all around and bring people from different castes and creeds together. Professionalism is welcomed, but not at the expense of an unsportsmanlike attitude.

Kalyan Rabha

Udalguri, Assam.