Fake News on Social Media : A Global Problem

Table of Contents hide

1) Introduction

2) Why it is in talks today?

3) Perspective under Indian law: How India is fighting against it?

4) Perspective under International scenario: How do other countries fighting against it?

5) What are the laws available against sharing fake news on social media in Indian Law?

6) What are the consequences of it in different states?

7) What are the Recommendations to prevent it?

8) What are some suggestions to deal with it?

9) Conclusion

“We are not just fighting an epidemic; we are fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus, and is just as dangerous.” -Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, (Director General of WHO)

Introduction

Fake news alludes to deception, misinformation, or mal-data or information. In the number of countries, any information is spread through informal exchange and conventional media and all the more as of late through computerized types of correspondence, for example, altered recordings, images, unconfirmed commercials and online life proliferated bits of gossip. Fake news spread through web-based life in the nation has become a major threat to society and humanity on this world.

Why it is in talks today?

As we saw various sorts of problematic events occurred in India and Spreading Fake news during these occasions make it progressively perilous towards the humankind and society with a portion of the models to it are as per the following:

COVID-19:- Misinformation identified with COVID-19 is as web-based social networking messages identified with home cures that have not been confirmed, counterfeit warnings and paranoid fears.
Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019:- Around 5000 web-based life handles from Pakistan were a piece of “effectively spreading phony and bogus publicity” on CAA, some utilizing “profound phony recordings” all the while.
Abrogation of Article 370:- There have been numerous occasions of pictures from the Syrian and the Iraqi common wars being made look like from the Kashmir struggle with the aim of fuelling distress and sponsorship uprisings.

Perspective under Indian law: How India is fighting against it?

There are different activities and practices that have been begun and embraced to check the spread and effect of fake news in India where some of them are as per the following:

Internet shutdown: – Internet shutdowns are utilized by the administration as an approach to control online life bits of gossip from spreading as done during the hour of repeal of Article 370 in J&K yet this isn’t so compelling strides towards it.

Linkage with Aadhaar: – Ideas, for example, connecting Aadhaar to online life accounts has been recommended to the Supreme Court of India by the Attorney General.

Separate truth checking divisions: – Media houses additionally have their own reality checking offices now, for example, the India Today Group, Times Internet.

PIL: – The case which is recorded by Anuja Kapur says that the unlimited scattering of phony news on the online networking actuates unspeakable atrocity and encroachment of residents’ entitlement to fair-minded and honest news and reports. It recorded 12 wrongdoings that incorporates common uproars, penetrate of harmony, horde lynching, widespread panic, serenity and open request, unlawful get-together, crowd viciousness, crowd lynching, affecting of decisions and criminal scheme, rebellion, abetment to kill that occurs because of phony news.

Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2019:- Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2019 was presented by a BJP Member of Parliament named Mrs. Rama Devi from Odisha. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is the service responsible for it.

Perspective under International scenario: How do other countries fighting against it?

Different activities and practices bypassing law have been begun and embraced to check the spread and effect of fake news outside India where some of them are as:

Singapore: – Singapore passed an anti-fake news law that will give the State government capacity to arrange online life locales like Facebook, Twitter, and Google to square and expel ‘counterfeit’ content from the stages. Punishment: Violations could pull in fines of up to S$ 1 million ($737,500) and 10 years in jail.

Russia: – Russian President Vladimir Putin marked a law that offer capacity to the state to square sites and force fines on Russians who spread what the specialists view as fake news or who show affront towards the legislature on the web. Punishment: Individuals can be fined up to 400,000 roubles ($6,120) for coursing bogus data on the web.

France: – France passed two anti-fake news laws that permit the power to suspend TV slots “constrained by a remote state” in the event that they scatter bogus data. Punishment: Anyone who abuses the law could confront one year in jail and a fine of 75,000 euro.

What are the laws available against sharing fake news on social media in Indian Law?

Section 505(1) of Indian Penal Code, 1860: The discipline for making, distributing or flowing any announcement, gossip or report which may make dread or caution general society, or to any segment of people in general. Discipline: Imprisonment which may reach out to 3 years or fine or both.

Section 66D of Information Technology Act: Whoever, by implies for any specialized gadget or PC asset cheats by personating. Discipline: detainment of either portrayal for a term which may reach out to three years and will likewise be at risk to fine which may stretch out to one lakh rupees.

Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005: Whoever makes or circles a bogus caution or cautioning as to catastrophe or its seriousness or extent, prompting alarm. Discipline: Imprisonment which may stretch out to one year or with fine.

What are the consequences of it in different states?

Maharashtra: Maharashtra police have enlisted upwards of 51 bodies of evidence over the state against different people spreading fake news, bits of gossip, and bogus or false cases concerning the pandemic. In one explicit case a paper promotion dated March 13, guaranteeing that the sleeping cushions could fix Covid-19 brought about an FIR being enrolled against the proprietor of bedding organization.

Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow: A phony Godman Ahmad Siddiqui calling himself as “Crown Wale Baba” asserted that the individuals who couldn’t wear a veil could utilize the charm to fend crown off. He has been captured for extortion and fraud.

Odisha: A man has been captured for posting bogus data on Facebook with respect to a Kerala-returned individual who had tried positive for a crown infection and was under treatment in Rayagada.

What are the Recommendations to prevent it?

There are a few Recommendations or Tips given by WhatsApp to help or forestall the spread of rumors and fake news which incorporate the accompanying:-

Comprehend when a message is sent
Check photographs and media cautiously
Post for messages that appear to be unique
Check your inclinations
Counterfeit news regularly becomes famous online
Confirm with different sources

What are some suggestions to deal with it?

There are a few measures or recommendations that each individual need to keep in their psyche while managing it which incorporate the underneath referenced as follows:

Discovering the source and inception of the message: – If one isn’t certain of the realness and accuracy of the message or its substance, one may make endeavors to make certain of the veracity of the issue before sending it to other people.
Auxiliary check: – if there should arise an occurrence of any cases made in the message one has gotten, lead optional keeps an eye on Google or different locales before spreading it.
Confirmation: – If the message impels forceful feelings, it is probably going to be sent for such purposes. Any stunning or incredible case made should be confirmed before it is sent to other people who may trust it totally.
Search on Google: – in the event of the message containing recordings or pictures, there is a chance of them being altered or utilized outside of any relevant connection to the issue at hand to deceive clueless beneficiaries. A straightforward opposite picture search on Google can uncover the first source and setting of the image. Any damage coming about because of such sending can make the individual doing so at risk to lawful results.
Use reality checking administrations: – there are many rumored certainty checking destinations, which help individuals to confirm claims made via web-based networking media or messages which have circulated around the web.
Rectification: – Sometimes there would be clear spelling, accentuation botches or other syntactic blunders which can call attention to the in the legitimacy of the message. One needs to build up a sound distrust towards content via web-based networking media.

Conclusion

While managing the situation, the Supreme Court of India held that the movement of a huge number of workers working in the urban communities was activated by alarm made by fake news that the lockdown would proceed for over a quarter of a year. Such frenzy made relocation and untold enduring the individuals who accepted and followed up on such fake news.

The world has been fighting a downpour of deception and impact tasks for quite a while now. The appearance of web, web-based social networking stages, and ongoing errand people has given a free rush to lawbreakers, reprobates, country states, and other spurred entertainers. Actually, society today is encountering something many refer to as a ‘data issue’ where it has gotten incredibly hard to disambiguate truth from deception.

REFERENCES

Statutes-

Indian Penal Code, 1860
Information Technology Act, 2000
Disaster Management Act, 2005

Other Primary Resources-

This Article Written by Shivam Sharma, Student of B.A LL.B, IME Law College, Delhi NCR

Also Read: ‘Fake’ or ‘Fact’ – An Information Disorder