Lok Sabha Question No. 2168 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Broadcasting of Fake News
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: P. Ravindhranath, Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari, Abhishek Banerjee, Pratibha Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2168 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2022

BROADCASTING OF FAKE NEWS.

2168. SHRI P RAVINDHRANATH:

SHRI N. REDDEPPA:

SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE:

SHRIMATI  PRATIBHA SINGH :

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  initiated  steps  to  ban  substandard online channels which are broadcasting fake news or news endangering national integrity;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the details of platform involved in the spread of fake news in the country;
- (c) the number of fake news cases recorded and the action taken by the Government against guilty during the last two years;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  also  constituted  any  supervisory  or monitoring  mechanism  to  ensure  the  quality  of  internet  channels, supported with sufficient enforcement authority initiating action against the publishers;
- (e)  if so, the details thereof;
- (f)  the  details  of  channels  in  Tamil  Nadu against which actions have been initiated or publishing fake news during the said period; and
- (g)  whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  study  or  survey  to determine the prevalence of fake news on National Media and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a)  &  (b):  News  publishers  on  digital  media  are  covered  under Information  Technology  (Intermediary  Guidelines  and  Digital  Media Ethics  Code)  Rules,  2021,  notified  on  25 th   February,  2021,  under Information Technology Act, 2000. Part-III of these Rules provides for blocking  of  content  of  such  news  publishers  for  violation  of  Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Invoking these provisions,  Ministry  of  Information  and  Broadcasting  has  ordered blocking of 56 Youtube based news channels and their social media accounts for public access in 2021 and 2022.
- (c) : A Fact Check Unit (FCU) has been set up in November, 2019 under Press Information Bureau of this Ministry.  This unit takes cognizance of fake news both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and WhatsApp and responds to the relevant queries with correct information pertaining to the Central Government. The Unit  also  maintains  a  twitter  account  @PIBFactcheck  and  posts cases of fake news, being busted, on the same on regular basis.  PIB Fact Check Unit has responded to 31,174 actionable queries.
- (d) to (f): Content of publishers of news and current affairs on digital media  and  OTT  platforms  is  governed  under  Part-III  of    Information Technology  (Intermediary  Guidelines  and  Digital  Media  Ethics  Code) Rules,  2021  which  requires  such  publishers  to  adhere  to  a  Code  of Ethics prescribed under these Rules. Complaints/grievances relating to violation  of  the  Code  of  Ethics  is  redressed  through  the  three  tier grievance redressal mechanism established under Rules as under:-
- (a)
- Level-I- Self Regulation by the Publishers
- (b) Level-II-  Self  Regulation  by  Self  Regulating  Bodies  of  the publishers

(c) Level-III- Oversight Mechanism by the Central Government. No state-wise data regarding instances of fake news is maintained by Government. (g):  The  Government  addresses  the  issues  of  fake  news  and  takes suitable action, including fact-checks, and under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. *****