Take action to stop spread of fake news, govt. tells WhatsApp

Take action to stop spread of fake news, govt. tells WhatsApp

News:

1. Recently, the cases of lynchings across the country over fake messages on WhatsAPP have been reported.

Important facts:

2. Instances of lynchings have been reported from States like Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura, and West Bengal.

3. Instances have been reported by mobs provoked by “irresponsible and explosive messages” on Whatsapp.

4. The government has taken the following measures in this regard:

• Asked the service provider to take immediate measures to ensure that its platform was not misused.
• Directed that the spread of such messages be immediately contained through the application of appropriate technology.
• The government has asked service providers to take necessary remedial measures to prevent proliferation of these fake and sensational messages.

5. Mob lynching:

• Mob Lynching means killing of someone by a mob for an alleged offence without following any principles of jurisprudence or due process of law.
• A lynching is a majority way of telling a minority population that the law cannot protect it.
• Lynching served the broad social purpose of maintaining superiority in economic, social, cultural and political sphere.