Lok Sabha Question No. 676 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Circulation of Fake Clips
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: FEROZE VARUN GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 676

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 06.02.2019

## CIRCULATION OF FAKE CLIPS

## 676.      SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI :

Will the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether there is any monitoring or evaluation of erroneous clips that induce panic or hate at the source of origin, to examine their validity before they are circulated widely and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  actively  dismiss  fake  clips  and  to  spread  information  regarding authenticity of clips;
- (c) whether the Government plans to take any steps to assist the Election Commission in preventing the viral spread of fake news before and during the upcoming general elections 2019; and
- (d) the details regarding digital transactions over the last 3 years since 2015, including details from new payment modes such as BHIM UPI, National Electronic Toll Collection, etc.?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI S.S. AHLUWALIA)

(a): No, Sir. Cyber space is a complex environment of people, software, hardware and services on the Internet. With a borderless cyberspace coupled with the possibility of instant communication and anonymity, the potential for circulation of erroneous clips that induce panic or hate is a global issue. Government is committed to freedom of speech and expression and privacy of its citizens as enshrined in the constitution of India.  Government does not monitor or regulate content appearing on internet.

(b):    The  Information  Technology  (IT)  Act,  2000  has  provisions  for  removal  of  objectionable  online  content. Section  79  of  the  Act  provides  that  intermediaries  are  required  to  disable/remove  unlawful  content  on  being notified by appropriate government or its agency. The Information  Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011  notified  under  section  79  of  the  IT  Act  require  that  the  Intermediaries  shall  observe  due  diligence  while discharging  their  duties  and  shall  inform  the  users  of  computer  resources  not  to  host,  display,  upload,  modify, publish,  transmit,  update  or  share  any  information  that  is,  inter  alia,  grossly  harmful,  harassing,  defamatory, libellous,  invasive  of  another's  privacy,  hateful,  or  racially,  ethnically  objectionable,  disparaging,  or  otherwise unlawful in any manner.

Government has taken several steps to actively dismiss fake clips and to spread information regarding authenticity of clips:

-  Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) took note of media reports about spread of fake news, misinformation/disinformation on Internet particularly using WhatsApp platform and issued a notice to WhatsApp on 3.7.2018. In their response, WhatsApp conveyed a number of steps taken by them to address the issue of fake news propagated using their platform.
-  Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) has issued a number of  advisories which includes advisory on untoward incidents in the name of protection of cows dated 09.08.2016, advisory on cyber crime prevention and control dated 13.01.2018 and  also an advisory on incidents of lynching by mobs in some States fuelled by rumours of lifting/kidnapping of children dated 04.07.2018.
-  MeitY and MHA as well as Police are in regular touch with various social media platforms to effectively address the issue of  removal of objectionable content.
-  MeitY  through  a  program,  namely,  Information  Security  Education  &  Awareness  (ISEA),  has  been highlighting the importance of following the ethics while using Internet and advice not to share rumours/fake news.  A  dedicated  website  for  information  security  awareness  (https://www.infosecawareness.in)  has  also been set up where a module on fake news have been provided.
- (c): MeitY assists other Government Ministries/Departments and Constitutional bodies like Election Commission, etc. as per the provisions of Information Technology Act, 2000.
- (d):   The details regarding digital transactions since 2015-16 is at Annexure.

********

## Annexure

| Growth of Digital Transaction in VOLUME : Oct, 2015 to Jan 2019 ( Figures in Cr)   | Growth of Digital Transaction in VOLUME : Oct, 2015 to Jan 2019 ( Figures in Cr)   | Growth of Digital Transaction in VOLUME : Oct, 2015 to Jan 2019 ( Figures in Cr)   | Growth of Digital Transaction in VOLUME : Oct, 2015 to Jan 2019 ( Figures in Cr)   | Growth of Digital Transaction in VOLUME : Oct, 2015 to Jan 2019 ( Figures in Cr)   | Growth of Digital Transaction in VOLUME : Oct, 2015 to Jan 2019 ( Figures in Cr)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| #                                                                                  | Mode                                                                               | Fy 2015-16 ( Oct, 2015 to March, 2016)                                             | FY 16-17                                                                           | FY 17-18                                                                           | FY 18-19 ( Till 10 th Jan 2019)                                                    |
| NPCI                                                                               | NPCI                                                                               | NPCI                                                                               | NPCI                                                                               | NPCI                                                                               | NPCI                                                                               |
| 1                                                                                  | NACH                                                                               | 77.25                                                                              | 196.88                                                                             | 237.49                                                                             | 219.15                                                                             |
| 2                                                                                  | IMPS                                                                               | 13.13                                                                              | 50.68                                                                              | 101.29                                                                             | 128.67                                                                             |
| 3                                                                                  | UPI + BHIM+USSD                                                                    | 0.00                                                                               | 1.79                                                                               | 91.52                                                                              | 343.31                                                                             |
| 4                                                                                  | RuPay (POS)                                                                        | 1.65                                                                               | 19.53                                                                              | 45.99                                                                              | 55.69                                                                              |
| 5                                                                                  | RuPay (eCom)                                                                       | 0.82                                                                               | 8.76                                                                               | 20.82                                                                              | 30.72                                                                              |
| 6                                                                                  | AEPS                                                                               | 6.91                                                                               | 34.47                                                                              | 98.45                                                                              | 124.78                                                                             |
| 7                                                                                  | BBPS                                                                               |                                                                                    | 0.01                                                                               | 2.56                                                                               | 22.36                                                                              |
| 8                                                                                  | NETC                                                                               |                                                                                    | 2.03                                                                               | 12.68                                                                              | 18.67                                                                              |
| A                                                                                  | Sub Total                                                                          | 99.78                                                                              | 314.14                                                                             | 608.24                                                                             | 920.99                                                                             |
| DATA SOURCED FROMRBI                                                               | DATA SOURCED FROMRBI                                                               | DATA SOURCED FROMRBI                                                               | DATA SOURCED FROMRBI                                                               | DATA SOURCED FROMRBI                                                               | DATA SOURCED FROMRBI                                                               |
| 9                                                                                  | Debit Card ( excluding RuPay)                                                      | 61.12                                                                              | 212.69                                                                             | 267.59                                                                             | 216.01                                                                             |
| 10                                                                                 | Credit Card                                                                        | 41.33                                                                              | 108.72                                                                             | 140.51                                                                             | 114.03                                                                             |
| 11                                                                                 | NEFT                                                                               | 69.24                                                                              | 162.22                                                                             | 194.64                                                                             | 147.55                                                                             |
| 12                                                                                 | M-Wallet                                                                           | 30.43                                                                              | 163.00                                                                             | 302.60                                                                             | 262.65                                                                             |
| 13                                                                                 | RTGS                                                                               | 5.03                                                                               | 10.79                                                                              | 12.45                                                                              | 8.88                                                                               |
| 14                                                                                 | PPC                                                                                | 9.12                                                                               | 33.31                                                                              | 43.26                                                                              | 28.61                                                                              |
| B                                                                                  | Sub Total                                                                          | 216.27                                                                             | 690.73                                                                             | 961.05                                                                             | 777.73                                                                             |
| DATA SOURCEDFROM CLOSED Loop Service Providers (Smart Card Transactions)           | DATA SOURCEDFROM CLOSED Loop Service Providers (Smart Card Transactions)           | DATA SOURCEDFROM CLOSED Loop Service Providers (Smart Card Transactions)           | DATA SOURCEDFROM CLOSED Loop Service Providers (Smart Card Transactions)           | DATA SOURCEDFROM CLOSED Loop Service Providers (Smart Card Transactions)           | DATA SOURCEDFROM CLOSED Loop Service Providers (Smart Card Transactions)           |
| C                                                                                  | CLOSED LOOP SERVICE PROVIDERS                                                      | 35.88                                                                              | 81.65                                                                              | 115.09                                                                             | 62.01                                                                              |
| DATA SOURCED FROMBANK(IntraBank Transactions)                                      | DATA SOURCED FROMBANK(IntraBank Transactions)                                      | DATA SOURCED FROMBANK(IntraBank Transactions)                                      | DATA SOURCED FROMBANK(IntraBank Transactions)                                      | DATA SOURCED FROMBANK(IntraBank Transactions)                                      | DATA SOURCED FROMBANK(IntraBank Transactions)                                      |
| 15                                                                                 | Internet Banking                                                                   | 0.00                                                                               | 0.00                                                                               | 149.34                                                                             | 118.50                                                                             |
| 16                                                                                 | Mobile Banking                                                                     | 0.00                                                                               | 0.00                                                                               | 66.20                                                                              | 84.78                                                                              |
| 17                                                                                 | Others                                                                             | 0.00                                                                               | 0.00                                                                               | 171.04                                                                             | 179.39                                                                             |
| D                                                                                  | Sub Total ( BANK )                                                                 | 0.00                                                                               | 0.00                                                                               | 386.59                                                                             | 382.66                                                                             |
|                                                                                    | Total ( A+B+C+D)                                                                   | 351.93                                                                             | 1086.51                                                                            | 2070.96                                                                            | 2143.39                                                                            |

AEPS: Aadhaar Enabled Payment System

ATM: Automated Teller Machine BBPS: Bharat Bill Payment System BHIM: Bharat Interface for Money eCom: Electronic Commerce IMPS: Immediate Payment Service NACH: National Automated Clearing House NETC: National Electronic Toll Collection PoS: Point of Sale PPC - Prepaid Card RTGS - Real Time Gross Settlement UPI: Unified Payments Interface USSD: Unstructured Supplementary Service Data