Fake news on social media

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    In Context

    • Recently, Election Management Bodies (EMBs) expressed their expectation from social media sites to proactively flag fake news.

    More about the news

    • International conference for EMBs:
      • The Chief Election Commissioner was addressing an international conference for EMBs hosted by the Election Commission of India (ECI). 
        • The conference was held under the aegis of the United States’ ‘Summit for Democracy’ platform.
    • Chief Election Commissioner on managing fake news:
      • He stated that Election management bodies (EMBs) expected social media sites to use their “algorithm power” to proactively flag fake news. 
        • He said social media platforms proclaim to have content policies but added that they do also have such “algorithm power”.
        • According to him, a proactive approach by these platforms to counter fake news would facilitate “credible electoral outcomes”.

    Summit for Democracy

    • ‘Summit for Democracy’, was an initiative of the US President hosted in December 2021.
    • It brings together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector in a shared effort.
    • It aims to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.
    • The Summit also developed two platforms – ‘Focal Groups’ and ‘Democracy Cohorts’ to facilitate participation in the Year of Action.

    More about the Fake News

    • Fake news, broadly termed as false news or misinformation disguised as credible news, which is very persuasive and has serious consequences for democracy.

    Effects

    • Influencing opinions: It can be used to influence public opinions, to gain popularity or to malign the image, character of certain individuals or opponents or to defame them.
    • Issue of fake news during elections: During the 2016 US Presidential elections,  a bipartisan Senate committee found that before and after the 2016 election, the Russian government used social media advertising to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories.
    • On similar lines, there has been talk of Facebook interfering with India’s electoral democracy. 
    • Disturbing harmony:
      • It affects social & communal harmony by spreading extremists’ ideologies especially in sensitive areas like radicalization of youths, inciting violence and hatred among the communities, swinging public opinions etc.

    Challenges

    • No standard definition: 
    • Lack of regulation: 

    Legal remedies to tackle fake news

    • Indian Broadcast Foundation (IBF): 
    • The Press Council of India: 
    • IPC Sections 153A and 295: .
    • Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC): 
    • Defamation Suit: 
    • The Information Technology (IT) Act: 
    • Contempt of Court laws: 
    • Constitution:

    Way ahead

    • Policy-makers: Although the policy-makers’ steps and regulations are in the right direction, the existing loopholes need to be filled.
    • All the stakeholders- lawmakers, online intermediaries, and citizens have a collective responsibility to curb fake news. 
      • Lawmakers:  While lawmakers can keep amending the laws, the citizens’ duty lies to gain awareness about media literacy. 
      • Online intermediaries: On the other hand, tech platforms need to ensure the use of a sophisticated algorithm to present the public with correct, accurate, and truthful information.

    Citizens:  The responsibility lies equally among the general public to educate with the necessary information to critically analyze information and then make deductive conclusions.

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