Fake News
https://www.statista.com/chart/31605/rank-of-misinformation-disinformation-among-selected-countries/
Disinformation is defined as situations where the author has purposefully sought to mislead their audience. Misinformation describes information which is spread out of genuine belief, but can be just as harmful - like is sometimes the case with conspiracy theories.
India is the country where the risk of disinformation and misinformation was ranked highest. Fake news had been rife in India’s 2019 election, with Vice reporting how parties had “weaponized the platforms [of Whatsapp and Facebook] to spread incendiary messages to supporters, heightening fears that online anger could spill over into real-world violence.” More recently, misinformation also became an issue during the Covid-19 pandemic in India, again via WhatsApp.
https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/
https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2025.pdf
Rumor Scanner revealed that 72% of the accounts spreading fake and misleading information about communal violence in Bangladesh claimed to be based in India, with over 154 million views across 50 accounts. https://thewire.in/communalism/indian-media-fuels-communal-disinformation-about-bangladesh
Rumor Scanner’s Investigation Unit has identified 50 accounts on X that have been actively spreading communal narratives by sharing images, videos, and information related to recent events in Bangladesh.
At least one post from each of these accounts has been found to promote communal misinformation and disinformation, reports Rumor Scanner in a study titled ‘Surge of Communal Misinformation on X During Bangladesh’s Political Crisis’.
by Prothom Alo
19/08/2024
Amendment to IT Rules Will Censor Free Press, Give Sweeping Power to Govt Agencies: Editors Guild https://www.newsclick.in/Amendment-IT-Rules-Will-Censor-Free-Press-Give-Sweeping-Power-Govt-Agencies-Editors-Guild Newsclick Report | 19 Jan 2023 Expressing concern over the freedom of the press, the Editors Guild of India has urged the government to expunge the draft amendment to the Information Technology Rules, which directs social media companies to take down news articles deemed “fake” by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
“The Guild urges the Ministry to expunge this new amendment, and to initiate meaningful consultations with press bodies, media
organisations and other stakeholders, on the regulatory framework for digital media, so as to not undermine press freedom,”