India's Disinformation Issues Let's investigate this more!

Lokniti-CSDS in its report ‘Media in India: Access, Practices, Concerns and Effects’ (2022) revealed that misinformation on social media platforms greatly impacts public perception, trust, and behavior.

It exposed significant apprehension regarding the proliferation of misinformation and false news on the internet.

The 2024 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute highlights a notable change in how news is accessed by Indians.

More than 70% of participants favor online media, and almost half depend on social media sites like YouTube (54%) and WhatsApp (48%).

The WEF Global Risks Report 2024 points out that India is extremely susceptible to misinformation.

Main factors: AI-created content, unmonitored influencer material, and algorithm-based social media platforms.

India's Battle Against Misinformation:

Increasing Internet Access: India is set to exceed 900 million internet users, which leaves it quite susceptible to disinformation in the absence of proper regulations.

Varied Terrain, Significant Danger: India’s political, social, and linguistic variety fosters an environment ripe for distorted narratives, voter manipulation, and social instability.

Beyond Politics: Misinformation fuels consumer boycotts, economic disputes, and international strains.

Diminishing Trust in Traditional Media: The public's faith in established news outlets is declining.

People are progressively depending on social media for information.

Unconfirmed information circulates quickly, frequently accepted as true since it originates from friends or relatives.

Youth at Risk: The youth population in India is becoming more susceptible to misinformation.

Legal and Regulatory Environment

Constitutional Restrictions: Article 19(1)(a) ensures the right to free speech.

Article 19(2) permits limitations concerning defamation, morality, and public order.

Balancing free speech (Article 19(1)(a)) and reasonable restrictions (Article 19(2)) presents a challenge.

Current Legal Instruments: The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 prohibits deceptive advertising and makes influencers responsible.

The IT Act (Sections 66 and 67) imposes penalties for harmful digital content.

The Intermediary Guidelines of 2021 and e-commerce regulations strengthen transparency and responsibility.

Defamation laws safeguard people and companies from misleading or overstated information.

Self-Regulation: The guidelines from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) establish advertising ethics, but they do not have legal authority; failing to comply results in blacklisting or public rebuke.

SEBI and RBI oversee influencers and online financial content.

Suggested Actions to Tackle Misinformation in India (Global Risks Report 2025)

Enhancing Technical Skills & Supervision: Train algorithm creators to minimize bias and exploitation in AI technologies.

Create supervisory boards and councils for AI to oversee and manage the practices of generative AI.

Require consistent risk evaluations from digital platforms, particularly those utilizing AI.

Enhancing Public Awareness & Digital Literacy: Increase digital literacy initiatives to enable individuals to recognize and counter disinformation.

Encourage critical thinking via educational changes and community engagement.

Regulating Major Tech Platforms: Utilize India’s position as the biggest market for platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to insist on accountability.

Safeguarding Press Freedom: Enact more robust laws to shield journalists and whistleblowers from intimidation and online harassment.

Establishing Global and Regional Partnerships: Encourage international collaborations to address the worldwide issue of disinformation.

Exchange effective strategies, threat insights, and compliance guidelines with partners and global organizations.

Conclusion

Misinformation is not solely a technological problem; it poses a danger to democracy, diversity, and factual accuracy.

In the absence of public awareness and robust policy actions, misinformation will exacerbate political and social rifts.

This trend highlights the crucial importance of social media platforms and the pressing necessity to encourage media literacy.