False Information Law in India
Anyone who knows or has reason to believe that an offence has been committed, provides information about the offence which he knows or believes to be false shall be liable to imprisonment of two types of imprisonment for a term of up to two years or to a fine, or both. or, if the information required by law relates to the commission of a criminal offence or is necessary to prevent the commission of a criminal offence or to arrest an offender, to imprisonment of both types and to deprivation of liberty for up to two years, or to a fine, or to both. At the same time, given how often the coronavirus is spreading around the world, misinformation is spreading. During the lockdown, a large percentage of the human population is trapped in their homes, where the infodemic is spreading rapidly. Any person who is required by law to provide a public servant as such with information on a subject which provides as true information on the subject which he knows or has reason to believe to be false shall be punished by simple imprisonment for a term of up to six months or a fine of up to one thousand rupees. or both; The speed at which the coronavirus is spreading around the world, misleading news has also spread at the same rate. Where most humans are stuck at home during lockdown, the infodemic is infecting them more and more. To neutralize this, more than 400 researchers have been aware of their efforts to uncover fake news about the virus. Notwithstanding the validation and transmission of data, the group further dissects all available information and offers assistance to national and local governments for evidence-based action. Even news sources and the press have an increased obligation to raise awareness and educate individuals more about the danger of fake news and lies. In addition, a case has been filed with the Supreme Court by Anuja Kapur, who is pending, seeking guidance for the center to set rules and provide a legal framework to prevent fake news and punish those responsible for its creation and encirclement.
The petitioner noted that the endless spread of fake news in online life causes untold atrocities and interference with citizens` right to unbiased and honest news and reporting. Therefore, it can rightly be cited that – He has never been prosecuted for fabricating news and spreading false information. Danik Jagran, a renowned Hindi daily, published fake news on its website, claiming that the victim girl had not been raped, although Jagran was exposed by various anti-fake news websites, including The Wire and News Click. Fake news has been around since the development of print media, but it has reached a different level of popularity in the era of the rise of modern networks. The manipulation of social media and search engine algorithms to reach a wide audience and mislead consumers with information is becoming a global trend. Fake video clips, news with altered press identities, bots and commentators hired for excellent online status (troll farm) have become commonplace. The danger of fake news is being used by governments to suppress freedom of expression. According to a Reuters report, 63 incidents of cow vigilantes occurred in India between 2010 and 2017. This has also happened during this period, mainly since the NDA government came to power in 2014.
In these attacks, 28 Indians were killed and 124 wounded. 24 of the 28 people killed were Muslims. Most of these events are directly influenced by fake news on the Internet and indirectly by the hostility caused by these communications. The court also ordered the center to create a 24-hour portal to curb the spread of fake news. She stressed to Attorney General Tushar Mehta, who represented the centre, that the government must hold regular meetings to disseminate authentic information to the public. Separate departments for cyber cells and information technology have been established by India`s major political parties. They create social networking profiles and pass on information, misinformation, and disinformation material to their followers in a highly organized manner. Various political parties create tens of thousands of pages on Facebook and Twitter and tens of thousands of WhatsApp groups, all with millions of users and members, to influence voters and the general public. Low-cost internet data has increasingly contributed to the growth of online media sites, YouTube channels, Facebook pages and WhatsApp groups. In today`s environment, news serves a variety of purposes.
It can take many forms, including facts, opinions, debates, and even entertainment in certain circumstances. People have used it to better understand and shape their views and knowledge of the world around them. However, in order to distinguish between real and fake news, people believe that we need to limit real news to their central scientific goal of providing accurate factual information to the public. As a result, we need to understand what news is related to how it is associated with “truth.” 203. False information about a crime committed Postcard News, the notorious fake news factory, regularly publishes freely. Nevertheless, Alt News, a website dedicated to combating disinformation, documented several cases of fake news on this official website in 2017. The government then said that issues related to fake news should be dealt with by the Press Council of India, which is also an existing regulatory body. It should be noted that section 14 of the 1978 Press Council Law empowers the Press Council to “warn, reprimand or censor the newspaper, news agency, editor or journalist, or to disapprove of the conduct of the editor or journalist if it finds that a newspaper or news agency has violated standards of journalistic ethics or public taste, or that an editor or worker has committed professional misconduct. In terms of education, India, like Italy, should focus on cybersecurity, internet proficiency and fake news education. Individuals must be vigilant and attentive enough to tell whether the news is authentic or not. If a message evokes strong emotions or makes absurd statements, it must be validated before being published on social media. Any future legislation to combat fake news should look at the big picture rather than blame the media, as anyone can make and disseminate news for personal gain in the age of new media.
Highlighting the planned action plan and fake news to restore trust in a web-based life without compromising web and media opportunities would require government-funded learning, policy strengthening, and efforts by tech companies to develop appropriate news curation algorithms. Therefore, the fight against fake news is a complex issue: if left unregulated, it can lead to national and international destabilization; But if it is over-regulated, it can weaken the democratic system. In recent times, as everyone in the world struggles with the pandemic, social media is full of information about the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes false reports about its origin, prevalence and many false advice. Experts say fake news is no less dangerous than the virus. The vast majority of Indians use WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media platforms, but these platforms can become anti-social when rumor opportunists spread false information, leading to lynchings. In May and June 2018, at least 22 people were murdered by mobs in different parts of the country for allegedly raising children or involved in cow slaughter, with police accusing lynchings of being responsible for the fake news. Fake news, also known as junk news, refers to misinformation spread in a country through the informal exchange of words and traditional media in the form of edited videos, memes, unfounded ads, and life on the web that generates gossip. This hoax, which existed before the invention of the printing press, has become a serious social challenge for our society. In India, there is no explicit legislation dealing with false information. The right to freedom of expression and opinion, guaranteed by Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India, is the Basic Law which promotes the free publication or dissemination of information.