Misinformation Combat Alliance: Indian fact checking network focuses on fake news on ruling party, government

Source: The post is based on the article “Indian fact checking network focuses on fake news on ruling party, government” published in The Hindu on 22nd April 2023

What is the News?

The Misinformation Combat Alliance has approached the government to act as a self-regulating body to flag fake news online in line with the IT Rules, 2021.

What is the Misinformation Combat Alliance?

MCA is an alliance of media companies set up in March 2022 to combat misinformation and build tools to aid fact-checking.

It is currently a network of 14 digital publishers which includes publications such as Boom Live, Factly, The Logical Indian, Vishwas News and The Quint.

Membership in the MCA is open to any organization that applies. 

What is the proposal given by the Misinformation Combat Alliance to the government?

The Misinformation Combat Alliance has approached the government to act as a self-regulating body to flag fake news online in line with the IT Rules, 2021.

MCA’s proposal is to regulate misinformation that is unrelated to the Union government, which is reportedly due to the Government of India’s unwillingness to hand this mandate to an international network like the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).

Note: Recently, the IT ministry, through an amendment to the Information Technology Rules of 2022, introduced a provision for the establishment of a government-run body to fact-check any misinformation about the government.