An eye on fake news
1 min read . Updated: 11 Jun 2020, 12:43 AM ISTIf the Centre intends to sift what’s true and what’s false, then the mechanism that does this must be kept open to public scrutiny
Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd, which functions under the ministry of information and broadcasting, has invited bids for services related to “fact verification and disinformation detection" on social media platforms. The job is to “identify key influencers behind disinformation" and their geo-location. The point is to check fake news, a problem that has reached alarming proportions. Social media does need regulation. But how best to do it?
If the Centre intends to sift what’s true and what’s false, then the mechanism that does this must be kept open to public scrutiny. Millions of Indians use social media, and they should know what is okay and what is not. This means clear rules have to be framed, which would call for deliberations across the country. Also, any agency that checks facts for the ministry should be held accountable. It should not be in a position to exercise unchecked authority or take arbitrary decisions. In grey areas, judgement calls need to be made. A wide cross-section of opinion may need to be brought to bear. An effort to bar incendiary messages shouldn’t deprive citizens of their freedom of speech.
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