[Answered] Discuss the need to overhaul the mechanisms to tackle rising disinformation in India.

“Disinformation” is false information disseminated intentionally to cause serious social harm. In the age of internet and social media, it has spread unchecked. This demands a public vigilance and awareness along with modern technological solutions to enhance scrutiny of all the facts and data.

Steps taken by the government to tackle disinformation:

• IPC Sections 153A and 295:Under this action can be initiated against someone creating or spreading fake news if it can be termed as hate speech.
• Defamation Suit: IPC Section 499 makes defamation a criminal offence. Section 500 provides for punishment for criminal defamation.
• Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC):A complaint relating to objectionable TV content or fake news can be filed to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council.
• Information Technology Act, 2000: Section 69A gives power to the Union Government to block access to any information online that it considers necessary in the interest of the sovereignty and the integrity of India, the security of the state or public order.
• The Union brought out the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021to regulate content by online publishers of news and social media intermediaries.
• The recent draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021empower the Press Information Bureau to flag inaccurate and fake news related to government bodies on social media platforms.

Issues with government measures in tackling disinformation:

• The government in India has only employed knee jerk measures such as Internet shutdowns without following the doctrine of proportionality. This response is over simplistic, non­transparent and autocratic.
• The government has not introduced a robust framework to tackle the root causes of disinformation.
• Regulators and law enforcement agencies in India do not have the necessary resources, technology, or expertise to effectively track and combat the spread of fake news.
• Advances in technology, such as deep fakes and other forms of synthetic media, make it increasingly difficult to distinguish between real and fake information.

A more studied, comprehensive and calculated set of legislative actions is required. The objective should be to balance between free speech under Article 19 of the Constitution of India and protecting citizens from malicious disinformation.