Lok Sabha Question No. 3304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Fake News
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: P. C. Mohan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3304 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2023

FAKE NEWS

3304. SHRI P.C.MOHAN:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  stop  the  menace  of  fake news in the country;
- (b) whether  any  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  stop  fake  news  on social  media  including  mandating appointment of ombudsman by Social media Companies to check fake news; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND

## MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a) to (c) The Government has statutory and institutional mechanisms  in  place  to combat    fake news  including the following:
- (i) A Fact Check Unit has been set up under Press Information Bureau under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in  November,  2019  to  counter  the  menace  of  fake  news.
- Fact Check Unit takes cognizance of fake news relating to the  Central  Government  both suo-motu  and  by  way  of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and social  media.  The  Unit  responds  to  the  relevant  queries with correct and updated information. Details are available on https://pib.gov.in>factcheck.
- (ii) For  Print  Media,  Press  Council  of  India  (PCI),  a  statutory autonomous  body  set  up  under  the  Press  Council  Act, 1978,  has  framed  'Norms  of  Journalistic  Conduct'  for adherence by the media. These norms inter alia emphasize the principles of Accuracy and Fairness & Pre-publication verification.   In case of violation of Norms, as per section 14  of  the  Act,  after  holding  an  inquiry,  PCI  may  warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor  or  the  journalist  or  disapprove  the  conduct  of  the editor or the journalists as the case may be.
- (iii) For  Electronic  Media,  all  television  channels  are  required to  adhere  to  the  Programme  Code  under  the  Cable  TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 which inter alia provides that no content which contains anything obscene, defamatory, false and suggestive innuendos and half-truths is broadcast. The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021, has been notified on 17.6.2021 which provides for a three tier grievance redressal mechanism to look into the complaints relating to the violation of the Programme

Code  by  the  TV  channels.  Appropriate  action  is  taken where violation of Programme Code is found. Advisories  to  all  private  satellite  TV  channels  has  been issued  by  the  Central  Government  on  25.02.2020  and

23.04.2022 for adherence to the Programme Code.

- (iv) For news on digital media, the Government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital  Media  Ethics  Code)  Rule,  2021  under  Information Technology Act, 2000 which inter-alia provides for adherence  of  Code  of  Ethics  by  publishers  of  news  on digital media and also a three tier mechanism for redressal of grievance relating to Code of Ethics by them .

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