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Fake news on social media

Posted on November 1, 2022 by admin1  664

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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