New Delhi: A parliamentary committee has made a big statement about fake news. The committee has described fake news as a serious threat to public order and democratic process and has also recommended amendments in penal provisions, increasing fines and fixing accountability to deal with this issue.
In its draft report adopted on Tuesday by the committee headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has also demanded the mandatory presence of fact-checking mechanisms and internal ombudsman in all print, digital and electronic media organizations. Sources said that the committee has made several suggestions including collaborative efforts between all stakeholders including government, private and independent fact-checkers to deal with the challenge of fake news. Let us tell you, the committee accepted the report unanimously, due to which all parties have also given their support to the steps being taken to deal with the problem of fake news.
The draft report presented by the committee states that the committee wants the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ensure that fact check mechanism and internal ombudsman are made mandatory in all print, digital and electronic media organizations of the country. The committee has submitted its report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and is likely to be presented in the winter session of Parliament in 2025. The draft report has also been given to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, as the panel also investigates this ministry.
Know the key recommendations of the committee
This committee of Parliament has demanded to hold editors and subject heads accountable for editorial control and owners and publishers accountable for institutional failures.
It has also been said that companies and platforms will have to be held responsible for spreading fake news.
The need to amend the punitive provisions in the existing Acts and Rules to curb the publication and distribution of fake news has been emphasized.
However, the committee also said that it should also include a process of building consensus between media bodies and related stakeholders.
Will not let India become like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal
In a post shared on social media ‘X’, the BJP MP shared a screenshot of an apparently false news targeting the ruling coalition, claiming that his committee has submitted its report to the Lok Sabha Speaker, recommending strict measures against such misinformation. He said the call for strict measures, including penalties and bans, also includes other fake news and misuse of AI to create content about women and children. He said that we will not let India become like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Those who run the agenda of anti-national forces to mislead people will be curbed. Any news should be factual.
Fine amount can be increased against fake news
Sources said that the draft report underlined the committee’s opinion that the amount of penalty against fake news can be increased to make it a deterrent for their creators and publishers. The committee said there is ambiguity in the current interpretation of misinformation and fake news and asked the ministry to define it by incorporating appropriate sections in the existing regulatory mechanism for print, electronics and digital media. This should be done while maintaining a delicate balance between dealing with misinformation and protecting freedom of expression and individual rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
Multilateral cooperation also recommended
Identifying fake news with cross-border ties and acknowledging the complexities involved, the committee recommended inter-ministerial cooperation at the national level and multilateral cooperation with international bodies. It said the government could emulate best practices adopted by other countries, for example the French law on election-related misinformation and create a small but dedicated inter-ministerial task force to deal with issues related to cross-border misinformation and fake news, which would include representatives from the ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of External Affairs, Electronics and Information Technology, besides legal experts.
