Lok Sabha Question No. 4370 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Fake News affecting Communal Harmony
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara, Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4370 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19/07/2019

## FAKE NEWS AFFECTING COMMUNAL HARMONY

4370.  SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR: SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  fake  news  is  being  spread  through electronic and other social media networks thereby disturbing the social fabric of the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the action proposed to be taken against such culprits who intentionally spread such fake news to disturb the peace and harmony in the country;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  bring  in  a  legislation  to  control  such malicious activities and if so, the time by which final decision in this regard is likely to be taken; and
- (d) whether  the  Ministry  has  instituted  any  cell  that  ensures  no  fake  news  is reported in the electronic/print media, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST & CLIMATE CHANGE; AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a):  Instances  of  fake  news  in  media  have  come  to  the  notice  of Government from time to time. Ministry of Electronics & Information  Technology  (MeitY)  has  intimated  that  it  has  taken note of media reports about spread of fake news, misinformation/ disinformation on Internet particularly on WhatsApp.

Contd. 2/-

(b) to (d): The Programme Code framed under the Cable Television Networks  (Regulation)  Act,  1995  inter  alia  prohibit  telecast  of  a programme which (i) contains attack on religions or communities or  visuals  or  words  contemptuous  of  religious  groups  or  which promote  communal  attitudes;  (ii)  contains  anything    obscene, defamatory,  deliberate,  false  and  suggestive  innuendos  and  halftruths; and (iii) is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes.

An  Inter-Ministerial  Committee  (IMC),  set  up  by  Ministry  of Information & Broadcasting, looks into complaints regarding violation  of  Programme  and  Advertising  Codes  and  recommends action  against  the  TV  Channels.  The  Ministry  has  also  issued directions  to  States  to  set  up  District  level  and  State  level Monitoring  Committees  to  monitor  content  telecast  on  cable  TV channels.  It is being monitored from 2005.

Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 empowers Government to block any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource in  the  interest  of  sovereignty  and  integrity  of  India,  defense  of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable  offence  related  to  above.  MeitY  has  informed  that notices to WhatsApp were issued on 03.07.2018 and on 19.07.2018 to address the issue of fake news propagated using their platform.

The  Press  Council  of  India  (PCI)  has  framed  'Norms  of Journalistic  Conduct'  for  adherence  by  the  media  of  publishing news which is accurate and fair.  The PCI has also an institutional mechanism for redressing any complaint received by it, in accordance with the Press Council (Procedure for Inquiry) Regulations, 1979, and enables it to warn, admonish or censure a newspaper, news agency, editor or journalists, etc.

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