Lok Sabha Question No. 483 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: Fake News
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 483

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2021

## FAKE NEWS

## 483 SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL :

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

- (a) whether the Government has any mechanism to identify and stop the spread of fake news on social media platforms, news channels and online portals; and
- (b) if so, provide details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a) and (b):  Government is well aware of the risk and danger posed by growing phenomena of fake  news  and  dissemination  of  wrong  information  through  various  social  media  platform. Cyberspace has the unique characteristics of being virtual, borderless and anonymous. Anyone can post, share, communicate any message from anywhere across the world at any time. This makes it challenging to identify and stop spread of fake news on social media.

Government has meanwhile taken several steps to address the challenges of misinformation and rumors spreading via various online media platforms including social media, news channel and other online portals. These, inter alia, include:

(i)  Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), on 25.02.2021 has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021  under  the  Information  Technology  Act  (IT  Act),  2000.  These  Rules  require  that  the intermediaries  follow  certain  due  diligence  as  prescribed.  They  are  required  to  publish privacy policy and terms of use of their platform. They are required to inform their users not to  host,  display,  upload,  modify,  publish,  transmit,  update  or  share  any  information  that  is harmful,  objectionable,  and  unlawful  in  any  way.  They  are  also  required  to  remove  any unlawful content related to Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India or violative of any law, as and when brought to their knowledge either through a court order or through a notice by appropriate government or its agency. The Rules also require that publishers of news shall observe the Code of Ethics which includes adherence to :

(a)  Norms  of  Journalistic  Conduct  of  the  Press  Council  of  India  under  the  Press Council Act, 1978;

(b) Programme Code under section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Regulation) Act, 1995;

(c) Content which is prohibited under any law for the time being in force shall not be published or transmitted.

(ii)  Section  79  of  the  IT  Act  provides  that  intermediaries  are  required  to  disable/remove unlawful content relatable to Article 10(2) of the Constitution either through a court order or on being notified by appropriate government or its agency.

(iii) Under Section 69A of the IT Act, MeitY does blocking of any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence 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 relating to above.

(iv)  A  Fact  Check  Unit  has  been  setup  under  Press  Information  Bureau  of  Ministry  of Information and Broadcasting in November, 2019. 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. The Unit responds to the relevant queries with correct information when the same pertains to Central Government or forwards them to States/UTs in other cases. The Unit also maintains a twitter account @PlBFactcheck and posts cases of fake news, being busted, on the  same  on  regular  basis.  The  Fact  Check  Unit  of  PIB  covers  news  on  various  media platforms, including electronic media.

(v) MeitY through a program, namely, Information Security Education & Awareness (ISEA), has been creating awareness among users highlighting the importance of following the ethics while using Internet and advising them not to share rumors/fake news. A dedicated website for information security awareness  (https://www.infosecawareness.in) provides all the relevant awareness material.

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