Tonga Volcano Impacting Weather

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Why in the News?

A recent study in the Journal of Climate found that the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai Volcano eruption in January 2022 has greatly affected global weather.

What are the Effects of the Hunga-Tonga Volcano on the Climate?

Extraordinary Ozone Hole in 2023:

The underwater eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai Volcano in January 2022 released 100-150 million tonnes of water vapor, increasing the stratosphere's water content by about 5%. This extra water vapor harms the ozone layer and acts as a strong greenhouse gas.

The study found that the large ozone hole seen from August to December 2023 was partly due to this eruption. The water vapor took almost two years to reach the polar stratosphere over Antarctica, causing the early appearance of the ozone hole.

Wet Summer of 2024 in Australia:

The study's model predicted a positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode for the summer of 2024, indicating a higher chance of a wet summer in Australia. This prediction went against the expected El Niño conditions and was made two years in advance.

Regional Weather Disruptions:

The study forecasts colder and wetter winters for northern Australia until around 2029. North America might experience warmer winters, while Scandinavia could have colder winters. These changes are linked to the Tonga eruption's effect on atmospheric waves, impacting local weather patterns. This highlights the importance of region-specific climate predictions and adaptation plans.

Minimal Impact on Global Temperatures:

The eruption's effect on global mean temperatures was very small, only about 0.015°C. The extremely high temperatures observed for about a year cannot be blamed on the Tonga eruption.

Personality Rights

Why in the News?

The recent conflict between a Hollywood actress and OpenAI shows how important personality rights are regarding AI models.

The actress claimed that OpenAI used her voice without permission after she had refused to license it to the company's CEO. Earlier, the New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of using its copyrighted content without permission to train AI models like ChatGPT.

What are Personality Rights?

Personality Rights

Definition:

Personality rights allow individuals to protect their identity, which falls under the broader categories of privacy and property rights. These rights cover different elements of a celebrity’s public persona, such as their name, voice, signature, images, distinctive features, mannerisms, and poses.

Types:

Right to Privacy:

• Protects an individual's control over their personal information and affairs.
• Prevents unauthorized disclosure of personal details or intrusion into one’s private life.
• Supported by the Supreme Court judgement in the Puttaswamy v Union Of India, 2017 case.

Right of Publicity:

• It grants individuals control over the commercial use of their name, image, likeness, or other recognizable characteristics.
• It allows them to decide if and how these aspects of their identity are used in product endorsements or advertising.

Importance:

• These rights are crucial for celebrities as their names, photos, or voices can be easily exploited by companies in advertisements to boost sales.

What is the Status of Personality Rights in India?

Legal Framework for Personality Rights in India

Overview:

While personality rights are not explicitly mentioned in Indian statutes, they are protected through principles related to privacy and property rights.

Key Legal Provisions:

Article 21 of the Indian Constitution:

• The right to privacy, enshrined in Article 21, provides legal protection for personality rights in India.

Copyright Act, 1957:

Though not directly addressing personality rights, it offers some protection through concepts like "passing off" and "deception" in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) cases.

Passing Off: Occurs when someone misrepresents their goods or services as belonging to someone else. This can relate to personality rights if:

• A celebrity’s name or image is used to endorse a product without permission, misleading the public into thinking the celebrity is associated with the product.
• A character or image similar to a well-known personality deceives the public into thinking it’s the real person.

 Deception: Using a person's name or likeness deceptively or misleadingly can constitute copyright infringement, especially if it harms the person's reputation.

Indian Trademarks Act, 1999:

• Section 14 restricts the use of individual names and representations without permission.

Court Judgments:

• Courts have recognized the right of publicity, allowing celebrities to protect their name, likeness, and persona from unauthorized use.
• Krishna Kishore Singh vs. Sarla A Saraogi, 2021: The Supreme Court held that the right to publicity is distinct from the right to privacy and affirmed that publicity rights are inheritable and devisable.
• Arun Jaitley vs. Network Solutions Private Limited, 2011: The Delhi High Court observed that an individual's popularity or fame is significant on the internet as well as in real life. The court stated that a name can acquire its distinctive significance.

Examples:

Jackie Shroff Case (May 2024):

• The Delhi High Court upheld Jackie Shroff's personality and publicity rights, preventing various e-commerce stores, AI chatbots, and others from using his name, image, voice, and likeness without consent.

Anil Kapoor Case (September 2023):

• The Delhi High Court restricted 16 entities from using Anil Kapoor's name, image, or likeness for commercial purposes without permission.

D.M. Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. vs. Baby Gift House, 2010:

• The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Daler Mehndi’s company, which sued shops selling dolls that mimicked Mehndi's appearance and sang his songs. The court upheld Mehndi's right to control his public image commercially.

What is the Status of AI Regulation in India?

AI Regulation in India

Current Status:

India does not have a specific regulation for artificial intelligence (AI). However, various advisories, guidelines, and IT rules provide legal supervision for the advancement of AI, Generative AI, and large language models (LLM).

Key Initiatives:

NITI Aayog's Leadership:

• In 2018, NITI Aayog released the "National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence #AIForAll." This document outlines the responsible development and deployment of AI in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and smart infrastructure.

Data Protection and Global Collaboration:

• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023) empowers the government to address privacy concerns arising from AI use.
• India's membership in the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) promotes collaboration on responsible AI development, data governance, and ethical considerations.

Many Facets of Truth

Why in the News?

For thousands of years, philosophers have grappled with questions about truth—what it is, how we can know it, and whether it's the same for everyone or different depending on who you ask. This has led to a wide range of viewpoints on the idea of truth.

What are the Various Thinkers' Perspectives on Truth?

Theories of Truth

Correspondence Theory:

• Thinkers like Aristotle and Bertrand Russell argue that truth depends on how well our statements match reality. In other words, a statement is true if it accurately reflects what's happening in the external world.
• For example, saying "The grass is green" is true because it matches the fact that grass actually has the color green.
• However, this theory struggles with abstract truths like mathematical theorems that don't directly relate to physical reality.

Coherence Theory:

• Thinkers like Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Hegel propose that truth comes from the internal consistency of ideas. A statement is true if it fits with the established knowledge framework.
• Scientific theories are considered true if they're internally consistent and explain various phenomena.
• Yet, this approach can lead to closed belief systems resistant to new evidence.

Pragmatic Theory:

• Thinkers like William James and John Dewey suggest that truth depends on practical usefulness and successful outcomes.
• For instance, the theory of gravity is true because it helps predict object movements and build stable structures.
• However, this view makes truth relative to context and ignores objective facts independent of human usefulness.

Mahatma Gandhi's Quest for Truth

Divine Truth and Non-Violence:

• Gandhi saw truth as more than factual accuracy—it was the ultimate reality, God itself.
• He believed truth was evident but required removing ignorance to see clearly. He linked absolute truth with non-violence (ahimsa).
• Truth, for Gandhi, wasn't just a concept but an eternal principle, akin to God, making truth and non-violence inseparable.

The Unending Quest:

• Gandhi's pursuit of truth involved introspection, constant questioning, and accepting mistakes. He saw truth as a continuous journey of self-discovery rather than a fixed destination.

Truth in Action:

• Gandhi's dedication to truth shaped his methods of protest, leading to the concept of Satyagraha, or "truth force."
• Satyagrahis, Gandhi's followers, aimed to awaken oppressors' consciences through civil disobedience and unwavering honesty.

What are the Dilemmas and Complexity of Truth?

The Complexity of Truth

Symbolism in India's National Emblem:

• The three lions on the Ashokan pillar in India's national emblem represent three perspectives of truth: personal truth, your truth, and an observer's truth. There's also a fourth, unfathomable dimension of truth often referred to with the saying, "God only knows the truth."

Challenges for the Election Commission:

• During elections, the Election Commission of India faces challenges due to political parties using clever language to engage in caste or communal speech, making it difficult for the commission to take action.
• While the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) prohibits explicit appeals on these grounds, loopholes allow parties to make divisive statements indirectly.

The Dilemma of Truth and Deception:

• Historical and mythological narratives, such as Yudhishthira's half-truth in the Mahabharata, illustrate ethical dilemmas when truth is manipulated.
• Yudhishthira's false declaration of Ashwathama's death led to misinterpretation and contributed to Dronacharya's demise.

• This story highlights the moral complexities that arise when the truth is distorted for strategic purposes, potentially resulting in the loss of moral integrity.

Conclusion

The saying "Satyameva Jayate" is like a compass for India's democracy. But, to make it work in our daily lives, everyone must commit to acting ethically. This needs politicians and citizens to wake up to it together. Keeping truth alive in a democracy needs constant watchfulness, thinking, and sticking to the law and good values.