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Entertainment The Devil still; Ajaneesh Loknath Updated on :  10 Dec 2025, 4:52 pm 2025 has been a pivotal year for Ajaneesh Loknath. From the rustic charm of Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 to the dark mass energy of The Devil, followed by the tense atmosphere of Sudeep’s upcoming Mark, he has shown his ability to balance melody, emotion, and star power. As The Devil releases on December 11, his work embodies a clear philosophy: music must support the story, enhance the atmosphere, and connect with the audience. The Devil, directed by Prakash Veer, and produced by Shri Jaimatha Combines posed a unique challenge. With Darshan in a negative shade, Ajaneesh had to match a darker tone in both songs and the background score. “It is mass, but in a negative shade. We used deep voices for a darker essence. The track ‘Alohomora’ has a spell-like feel as one example. We chose singers to fit the melancholy and worked around with the background score. I wanted it to be appealing yet dark, which is the biggest challenge when working with stars like Darshan or Sudeep.” For him, composing for stars goes beyond creating hits. “You have to craft a massive presence that fits the star’s aura. Their walk, style, and presence all matter, while the music also needs to be catchy and melodic. It’s a delicate balance.” Though Ajaneesh has collaborated with Sudeep before, this was the first time he collaborated with Darshan. “Timing is key. Music alone isn’t enough. It must elevate the movie, match expectations, and connect with the audience.” Debuting with hits like Rangitaranga and Kirik Party brought wider recognition. His works in Tamil and Telugu cinema, and projects like Bell Bottom and Vikrant Rona, expanded his reach. “Directors like Rakshit Shetty, Anup Bhandari, and Rishab Shetty supported me. I learned that mass is more than a hit, it’s vibe, reach, and aura.” Even as he excels in mass music, Ajaneesh values intimate compositions. Films like Dia, Bell Bottom, Ishtakamya, and Guru Sishyaru continue to bring joy. “Tracks like ‘Belagedu’ from Kirik Party or songs from Kantara and Dia remain popular. Music travels farther than the film; it keeps coming back socially and digitally.” Looking ahead to the Landlord in 2026, he explains, ‘Music is not just about sound; it’s a character, a narrative tool, and an emotional guide. Compositions must reflect the protagonists’ complexity, set the scene’s mood, and stay with listeners long after the film leaves theatres.” Read More

Entertainment Updated on :  10 Dec 2025, 4:47 pm The suspense-thriller Sarkari Shale-H 8, which has already sparked curiosity with its intriguing title, is set to hit the screens soon. Interestingly, Gilli Nata, who is currently a contestant in Bigg Boss Kannada, plays a pivotal role in the film. The project is written and directed by Gun Haryabbe and produced by Tejaswini S under the banner of Girichandra Productions. The film’s latest poster, featuring Gilli Nata, was recently unveiled by his parents at his alma mater, the government school in Dadadapura, Malavalli Taluk. The story, which initially builds suspense and curiosity, revolves around a statue and unfolds across four distinct locations. Principal photography was completed in and around Bengaluru, Chitradurga, Shira, and Shivamogga. With the shooting and post-production wrapped up, the film is planned for a February 2026 release. Vijeth Manjaya has composed the music for the film, which includes three songs. Comedians Sharan and Mehabub Saab have lent their voices to individual tracks, while Nagendra Prasad has penned lyrics. Cinematography has been handled by Ravi Ramadurga and Venus Murthy, with editing by Raviteja CH. The film, apart from Gilli Nata, features Gun Haryabbe and Meghashree in the lead roles, and the supporting cast includes Raghavendra Rao, Kumar, Suchendra Prasad, Jagappa, Nawaz, Sushmita Jagappa, Kaddipudi, Jothiraj, and Namrata in pivotal roles. Read More

Entertainment Home»News»Avatar The Last Airbender Season 2 to release in 2026, check out first look and teaser release date» Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is coming sooner than you expected. In a major announcement, the streaming giant shared that the second season of the live-action series is set to premiere in 2026. Fans are excited to see the first glimpse of the series that brings back the fan-favourites. The makers also shared about the official teaser trailer release date that will give you a glimpse of the action-packed and adventurous saga. Entertainment Avatar: The Last Airbender first look and teaser release Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 unveiled the first look that features the Avatar team back in action. The live-action series, which is adapted from the popular animated show of the same name, is set to bring back the ensemble cast of Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ken Leung, and Daniel Dae Kim in their recurring roles. The makers also announced that a teaser trailer will drop on December 10. Sharing the first look of Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, Netflix wrote in the caption, “Toph has arrived. AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER SEASON 2. Teaser trailer tomorrow.” In the new poster, Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, and Ian Ousley as Sokka are back in their iconic roles. Miya Cech is introduced in the second season as Toph Beifong, who has joined the Avatar squad. The makers shared how the characters of the live-action series navigate challenges of their layered personalities and how it syncs with the animated version in terms of growth. “We’re going to challenge our characters with more complex and nuanced obstacles as they navigate a more tactile world. Just as the animated series matured and progressed, the live-action will also take these characters and worlds and grow them,” said the series producers. Apart from the recurring characters, fans will also be able to see some new additions like Terry Chen, Dolly de Leon, Lily Gao, Madison Hu, Miya Cech, Chin Han, Hoa Xuande, and many more. Avatar: The Last Airbender plot Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fantasy and adventure series that is set in a fictional world, where benders can manipulate the other natural elements like water, fire, earth, and air. The series takes you on an epic journey of Aang, who is revealed as the Avatar with the potential of bending and controlling the other elements to bring the balance. With themes of friendship, courage, and identity, this one is an entertaining pick. Avatar: The Last Airbender FAQs: Q. When to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender 2? A. Avatar: The Last Airbender 2 is expected to premiere in early 2026.  Q Where to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series online? Q. Is Avatar: The Last Airbender renewed for season 3? A. Avatar: The Last Airbender is renewed for season 3 and is currently in the works.  Q. Who plays Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender? A. Avatar: The Last Airbender features Gordon Cormier as Aang, who is the lead.  Read More

Entertainment Home»News»Good Wife, Heart Beat: JioHotstar renews women-led series for next season» In the latest JioHotstar’s event South Unbound had unveiled its new content slate for 2026, and this includes new titles from the south, majorly from Tamil. Telugu, and Malayalam. Apart from launching new series, the platform also renewed two of its Tamil web series for next season, Heart Beat and Good Wife. Interestingly, both the series are women-led. You can watch all the JioHotstar content, including Good Wife, and Heart Beat, via OTTplay Premium as well. Entertainment Good Wife gets second season Streaming platform JioHotstar has renewed two of its Tamil web series, namely Heart Beat and Good Wife. Both the series, which are women-led, had garnered much fan following, that the platform has renewed the next instalment. In the first, Good Wife, starring Priyamani in the lead role, has been renewed for the second season. The first season premiered earlier this year and is a legal family drama. It is directed by Revathy with Halitha Shameem as the writer. Adapted from American web series The Good Wife, it is the second Indian remake after the Hindi series The Trial starring Kajol. In Good Wife, Priyamani plays the role of Tarunika, a homemaker who takes up lawyer job after her husband gets caught in a scandal and she becomes the breadwinner. Halitha Shameem, who is both writing and directing the second season, said that she is currently penning it. “After the first season, I did not expect this much of love and support. That is what prompted us to go with second season,” said Priyamani. Heart Beat renewed for third season: Meanwhile medical drama series Heart Beat, which is already two seasons old, will be returning for the third season. The much-loved show stars actors Anumol, Karthik Kumar, Deepa Balu and others who will be reprising their roles. Deepak Soundarajan will be helming the third season. The show which has 100 episodes each season, is a long-format series. “The brief was to write a story based out of hospital. So that is how we spontaneously came up with the story of Heart Beat,” said Deepak. Tamil web series FAQs Q. What is Jio Hotstar South unbound? A. JioHotstar South Unbound is an event unveiling the new south content slate for 2026 in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. Q. What are new Tamil web series? Q. What is Tamil OTT releases this week? A. Tamil film Kaantha will release on Netflix this week. Read More

Entertainment Home»News»Roslin on JioHotstar: Meena, Vineeth lead Malayalam series on haunting nightmares» JioHotstar’s upcoming slate for 2026 looks intriguing, with three new Malayalam series announced. Roslin is one of the series unveiled during the South Unbound event of JioHotstar, held on Tuesday. Senior actors Meena and Vineeth lead the upcoming series, which is backed by Drishyam 3 director Jeethu Joseph. Entertainment JioHotstar’s new Malayalam series The new JioHotstar series, titled Secret Stories: Roslin, revolves around a 17-year-old girl child, and her parents who are concerned about her mysterious behavior. The Roslin teaser begins with the teenager talking about recurring nightmares of a stalker. The girl is not able to identify the stalker, but points out that the person has green eyes. Actor Meena appears to be the mother of the girl Rose, while Vineeth’s character says that he has been insisting on sending the girl for counselling. The teaser then shows tense moments as the girl is seen to be traumatised over something. Sanjana Dipu and Hakkim Shah are also part of the series. JioHotstar has just announced Roslin with a teaser, a release date of upcoming series not out. When Roslin releases on the platform, it will also be available for OTTplay Premium subscribers. 2 more new series on JioHotstar Anali is the other Malayalam series announced by JioHotstar, which also appears to be a tense thriller. Anali follows the events as mysterious deaths are reported in a family. Actresses Nikhila Vimal and Leona Lishoy play key roles in the series, which appears to have a strong resemblance to an actual case of serial killings reported in Kerala a couple of years ago. The third series breaks away from the trend of tense thrillers and promises a more fun outing, by portraying the family chaos at a wedding. It is titled Cousins & Kalyanams. On the other hand, JioHotstar also has renewed Aju Varghese’s Kerala Crime Files and Rahman-led 1000 Babies. Actor Nivin Pauly’s first web series Pharma will release on December 19, 2025. Malayalam series FAQs Q. Which are the latest series announced by JioHotstar? A. JioHotstar has announced three Malayalam series – Roslin, Anali and Cousins & Kalyanams. Kerala Crime Files and 1000 Babies have also been renewed for their next seasons by the platforms. All the series will be available on OTTplay Premium. Q. What is the name of the web series of Nivin Pauly? A. The name of Nivin Pauly’s web series is Pharma, which will release on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium on December 19, 2025. Read More

Entertainment Home»News»Top 10 web series of 2025 to stream on ZEE5: From Bakaiti to Mothevari Love Story» The year 2025 saw some of the best content on OTT. From thrillers to comedies, a plethora of content has been created in the OTT space, and new-age filmmakers continue to showcase their talent. Zee5 has been churning out shows one after another, and here are the platform’s top 10 web series, across languages, that became a talking point. Entertainment Best 10 web series of 2025 to stream on ZEE5 Bakaiti Bakaiti is a family drama directed by Ameet Guptha and features Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba Chaddha, Aaditya Shukla, and Tanya Sharma in key roles. The seven-episode series revolves around the Kataria family, who live in Ghaziabad. As financial tensions grow, the family decides to rent out one of the rooms in their house. A new tenant arrives, egos clash, brother–sister bonds break, and much more unfolds. The coming-of-age drama won a lot of applause from critics and audiences alike. Those who love family dramas can stream the show on OTTplay Premium. Bhuvan Arora in Janaawar – The Beast Within Janaawar is a Hindi crime thriller series featuring Bhuvan Arora, Bhagwan Tiwari, and Atul Kale in lead roles. Directed by Sachindra Vats, the seven-episode series is a remake of the hit Tamil series Valingu. Set in the imaginary town of Chhand, the story follows Inspector Hemanth Kumar, played by Bhuvan Arora. As he investigates a series of back-to-back killings in the town, he uncovers brutal truths about the village and its people. Right from the performances to emotions, this series is a must-watch if you love social dramas. Baai Tujhyapayi Baai Tujhyapayi is a Marathi web series that became a talking point. Directed by Nipun Dharmadhikari, the series features Kshitee Jog, Laxmi, Sajiri Joshi, and Siddhesh Dhuri in key roles. The gritty series is set in the late ’90s in the imaginary town of Vesaich. It follows a young girl whose only dream is to study hard and become a doctor. But the conservative village, which is against women getting educated, creates obstacles of all kinds. Paoli Dam as Trailakya Tarini in Ganoshotru Ganoshotru is a Bengali anthology series directed by Samik Roy Choudhury, Modhura Palit, Sayan Dasgupta, Abhirup Ghosh, and Srimanta Sengupta. The five-episode series showcases stories about unique crimes in the state of West Bengal. Featuring Paoli Dam, Rudranil Ghosh, Ayush Das, Debopriyo Mukherjee, and Subrata Dutta in lead roles, the series delivers fabulous performances with crimes portrayed in a gritty manner. Those who love crime thrillers can stream Ganoshotru right away. Sattamum Neethiyum Sattamum Neethiyum is a Tamil courtroom drama directed by debutant Balaji Selvaraj and stars Saravanan, Namritha MV, and Aroul D. Shankar in lead roles. The seven-episode series follows Sundaramoorthy, who has been away from legal practice. When he comes across Kuppuswamy, a man fighting for his missing daughter, Sundaramoorthy’s life changes. He decides to rejoin the legal profession and take on the case, which unfolds with dramatic highs and lows. Those who love courtroom dramas can stream the show. Regai Regai is a Tamil cop drama directed by M. Dhinakaran. The series features Bala Hasan, Pavithra Janani, Anjali Rao, and Vinodhini Vaidyanathan in key roles. The seven-episode series follows Sub-Inspector Bala Hasan and his team as they discover severed hands in an ice vending cart. The series is a gripping drama that shows how they work to crack the case. Mothevari Love Story Mothevari Love Story is a Telugu comedy series directed by Shiva Krishna Burra. Featuring Anil Geela, Muralidhar Goud, and Varshini Reddy in key roles, the comedy caper follows a young couple who decide to elope. As their journey begins, a crazy family secret comes to light, turning the story on its head. Set in rural Telangana, the seven-episode series is hilarious and also carries some earthy emotions. Viraatapalem PC Meena Reporting Viraatapalem-PC Meena Reporting is a Telugu crime drama that was directed by Poluru Krishna. Featuring Abhignya Vuthaluru and Charan Lakaraju in key roles. The series follows a lday constable who lands in a small village and finds out that the brides are getting killed on their wedding day in mysterious circumstances. The seven-episode series has solid twists in the last few episodes. Siri Ravikumar in Shodha Shoda is a Kannada web series directed by Sunil Mysuru. The series follows Rohith, a lawyer who files a case after his wife goes missing. Soon after, he meets with an accident, and when he recovers, he sees that his wife is back. But Rohith insists that the person who has returned is not his wife and is an imposter. How this mystery unfolds forms the story of this psychological thriller. Siri Ravikumar plays the female lead in the six-episode series. Mansi Sudhir and Kushee Ravi in Ayyana Mane Ayyana Mane is a Kannada crime thriller directed by Ramesh Indira. The series features Kushee Ravi, Manasi Sudhir, Hitha, Chandrashekar, and Archana Kottige in lead roles. It follows the story of Jaji, who marries into a mysterious family surrounded by strange and deadly occurrences. As she settles down with her in-laws, bizarre events begin happening to her in this six-episode series. Kushee Ravi’s performance is one of the major highlights of the show. ZEE5 shows FAQs Q. Where to stream Mothevari Love Story on OTT? Q. Does ZEE5 have Telugu shows? Q. What are the must-watch Telugu thriller series to stream on ZEE5? A. Paruvu, Brinda, and Vikkatakavi are a few super hit shows that can be streamed via OTTplay Premium. Read More

Entertainment Home»News»Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 Episode 134 December 9 highlights: Mihir apologizes to Tulsi and Pari’s new scheme» Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 Episode 134 highlights: Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay’s reboot series brings a new dramatic turn as Pari takes the blame for Ranvijay’s fraud. From Pari’s hurtful accusations against her parents to Mihir’s apology, here’s what all happened in Ekta Kapoor’s show. Stream Kyunki 2 with JioHotstar and OTTplay Premium. Entertainment Kyunki 2 Episode 134 Pari takes the blame In the recent episode, Pari takes all the blame after Mihir warns Ranvijay to hand him to the police for his fraud. However, things take a spiraling turn when Pari intervenes and tells everyone that she was the one who urged Ranvijay to forge Mihir’s signature. She tells about her insecurities that led her to the drastic decision. Pari’s emotional blackmail In a dramatic scene, Pari takes the blame and also tells Mihir that he never secured her future, which forced her to take this step. She manipulated her family to believe that she did the fraud to live a luxurious life with Ranvijay. Pari blackmails her family to not try to stop her wedding, otherwise she will kill herself. Mihir apologises to Tulsi Mihir finally apologises to Tulsi for his rude behavior and not believing her when she tried to unveil Ranvijay’s ugly face. He also breaks down after Pari calls her adoptive daughter. He tells her that she was always right and he was just blindfolded by Pari’s love. Noina gets jealous Noina overhears Mihir and Tulsi’s conversation. When she saw their reflection in the mirror and Mihir crying in Tulsi’s lap, Noina got jealous and stormed out of the sangeet ceremony. She goes to her house and cries for Mihir’s unrequited love. An imaginary Noina tells her that Mihir will always love Tulsi. Meanwhile, the upcoming episode will center on Mihir and Tulsi’s efforts to stop Ranvijay and Pari’s wedding. Noina is expected to create drama as she also locks herself in a room and threatens to kill herself. Watch the new episodes on OTTplay Premium. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 FAQs: Q. How to watch Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2? A. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 is available to watch on TV via Star Plus, and you can also watch it online on JioHotstar (accessible with OTTplay Premium) Q. Who plays Noina in Kyunki 2? A. Kyunki 2 features Barkha Bisht opposite Amar Upadhyay’s Mihir. Q. Who is returning in Kyunki 2? A. Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay have returned as the leading duo in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi season 2. Q. Who plays Pari in Kyunki 2? A. Shagun Sharma plays Pari. Q. Who plays Angad in Kyunki 2? A. Angad is played by Rohit Suchanti in Kyunki 2. Read More

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Entertainment The video app reports that “Pretty Little Baby” was used more than 28.4 million times across its user base, placing it on top over Jess Glynne’s “Hold My Hand” and Black Eyed Peas’ “Rock That Body” American pop singer Connie Francis, circa the 1960s. Photo: Archive Photos/Getty Images Over on TikTok, 2025 was the year of talking to all the bluebirds, the bill and coo birds. The video app has named Connie Francis‘ saccharine 1962 hit “Pretty Little Baby” the Top Global Song of 2025. According to a year-end report, the record was used more than 28 million times in posts that racked up more than 68 billion views, including uploads from Nara Smith, Kylie Jenner, and Ariana Greenblatt. “Pretty Little Baby” experienced its first notable surge in May, when it topped the TikTok Music Charts with more than 1.3 million posts. “I am thrilled and overwhelmed at the success of ‘Pretty Little Baby,’” Francis said in a press release at the time. “I recorded that song 63 years ago and to know that an entire new generation now knows who I am, and my music is thrilling to me. Thank you so much everybody, thank you TikTok.” Francis died in July at the age of 87. Today, two official audios on the app boast 2.4 million and 1.3 million videos, while multiple other minute-long clips of the song have racked up anywhere from 14,000 videos to one million. The scattered nature of how music is shared on TikTok makes it hard to know exactly how the count reached 28 million. Representatives for TikTok did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment. Trailing “Pretty Little Baby” on the 2025 Top Global Songs list is Jess Glynne’s 2013 hit “Hold My Hand.” The record was featured in the viral “Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday” audio that has been used in more than 3.6 million videos. Other notable entries include Black Eyed Peas’ “Rock That Body,” J Balvin’s “Azul,” and Fantomel and Kate Linn’s “Dame Un Grrr.” TikTok took a liking to more recent releases, too. Katseye have been named TikTok’s Global Artist of the Year, determined “based on a combination of video views on creations using their music and video views of the artist’s own posts on TikTok,” according to a press release from the company. “You turned our songs, our moments, and our chaos into something truly global, and we are so grateful for this community,” the girl group said in a statement. Taylor Swift, Sombr, and Tate McRae also had big years on the app. Swift was the Global Most-Saved Artist in 2025, while Sombr’s “Back to Friends” was the Global Most-Saved Track and McRae’s So Close to What was the Global Most-Saved Album. Meanwhile, Doechii inspired the Music Trend of the Year with “Anxiety.” From Rolling Stone US. Read More

Entertainment Data analysis of social media posts painting the singer as a Trump supporter or white supremacist revealed a network of inauthentic accounts Taylor Swift onstage during the The Eras Tour. Photo: Erika Goldring/TAS24/Getty Images The early October release of Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl was, like the arrival of any new music from the colossal pop star, a marquee event. As it scaled the charts to become the fastest-selling album in history, fans and detractors alike picked its dozen songs apart like forensic investigators — but they went far beyond analysis of the lyrics. People also scrutinized the artwork on the varied versions of the LP and CD, as well as the merchandise rolled out to accompany Swift’s ode to artistic and romantic triumph, hunting for the Easter eggs she likes to scatter throughout the landscape of her meticulously managed personal brand.  Soon, online discussion of the album turned extreme in ways that many found bewildering. There were social media posts accusing Swift of implicitly endorsing the MAGA movement, trad-wife gender norms, and even white supremacy with dogwhistle references. While the far-right have been known to claim the singer as an icon of “Aryan” greatness despite her record of championing Democrats and liberal values — and President Trump himself has blithely and disingenuously shared AI-generated imagery depicting her as a supporter — this was a noticeably divergent trend, an apparent attempt to cancel Swift for those presumed affiliations. The attacks largely focused on specific word choices (her use of the term “savage” on the song “Eldest Daughter” was interpreted as racist) and symbols (a necklace for sale on her website stirred up Nazi comparisons because its lightning bolt charms bore a passing resemblance to the bolt pattern worn by the SS). These ridiculous charges led Swifties to bemoan the current political climate, admonishing left-leaning commentators for going overboard in their attempts to identify signs of cryptofascism in Swift’s work. “It’s depressing because reactions like these end up making everyone who genuinely cares about social progress look ridiculous,” wrote one fan on Reddit. “The more exaggerated the discourse becomes, the more it plays directly into the right’s narrative that liberals are hysterical, moralizing, and incapable of nuance.” What Swift’s defenders didn’t realize, however, was that they were pushing back against a false narrative that had been seeded and amplified by a small network of inauthentic social accounts. Worse, they were helping to disseminate those bad-faith allegations by earnestly engaging with them. That’s according to new research from GUDEA, a behavioral intelligence startup that tracks how such reputation-damaging claims emerge and go viral on the internet. In a white paper examining more than 24,000 posts and 18,000 accounts across 14 digital platforms between Oct. 4 (the day after The Life of a Showgirl came out) and Oct. 18, shared first with Rolling Stone, the firm concluded that just 3.77 percent of accounts drove 28 percent of the conversation around Swift and the album during that period. This cluster of evidently coordinated accounts pushed the most inflammatory Swift content, including conspiracy theories about her supposed Nazi allusions, callouts for her theoretical MAGA ties, and posts that framed her relationship with fiancé Travis Kelce as inherently conservative or “trad,” with all of this framed as leftist critique. Once the provocations were injected into the Swift discourse — often they appeared in edgier online forums like 4chan or KiwiFarms before migrating to popular social apps — they were organically sustained by the people challenging them on mainstream platforms. This, in turn, algorithmically reinforced their visibility. “The false narrative that Taylor Swift was using Nazi symbolism did not remain confined to fringe conspiratorial spaces; it successfully pulled typical users into comparisons between Swift and Kanye West,” the researchers wrote. “This demonstrates how a strategically seeded falsehood can convert into widespread authentic discourse, reshaping public perception even when most users do not believe the originating claim.”  A representative for Swift did not immediately return a request for comment.     “I’m a pop-culture girl,” says Georgia Paul, GUDEA’s head of customer success, who suggested the company look at the conversation around Swift after she had a “gut feeling” that the ideologically charged remarks about The Life of a Showgirl she was seeing might trace back to manipulative actors. Paul and her colleagues confirmed that suspicion, identifying two distinct spikes in misleading activity related to Swift. The first came on Oct. 6 and 7, with approximately 35 percent of the posts in GUDEA’s data set for that time frame generated by accounts behaving more like bots than human users. The second took place over Oct. 13 and 14, after Swift released a merch collection that included the lightning bolt necklace (commemorating the song “Opalite”), with about 40 percent of posts shared by inauthentic accounts and conspiracist content accounting for 73.9 percent of the total volume of conversation.   “The internet is fake,” says Keith Presley, GUDEA’s founder and CEO, only half-jokingly. He notes that some 50 percent of the web is now made up of bots. “This is something that we’ve seen escalate on our corporate side — this type of espionage, or working to damage someone’s reputation.” While Presley and his team don’t know the identity of the individual or group behind this attack, they did discover “a significant user overlap between accounts pushing the Swift ‘Nazi’ narrative and those active in a separate astroturf campaign attacking Blake Lively,” according to the paper. The actress has claimed in an ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit that actor and director Justin Baldoni organized a chorus of smears against her on social media as the two waged a bitter legal and PR war over the troubled production of their 2024 film It Ends With Us. Their data, GUDEA researchers wrote in their report, “reveals a cross-event amplification network, one that disproportionately influences multiple celebrity-driven controversies and injects misinformation into otherwise organic conversations.”  The intersection of networks and the similarity of their strategies across two separate topics demonstrate a certain “sophistication” in the expanding industry of facilitating reputational harm across social media, Presley says. “They know what they’re doing,” he adds.   The more recent, Swift-focused activity of these accounts may indicate the owner(s) dipping a toe