Parliamentary Panel seeks mandatory fact-checks to tackle fake news

Calling fake news a threat to public order and democratic process a parliamentary committee has recommended amending penal provisions increasing fine and fixing accountability to tackle the challengeIn its draft report adopted on Tuesday the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has also called for mandatory presence of factchecking mechanism and internal ombudsman in all print digital and electronic media organisationsSources said the committee has made a raft of suggestions including a collaborative effort among all stakeholders covering government private and independent factcheckers to tackle the challenge of fake newsThe committee headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey adopted the report unanimously showing a crossparty support for steppedup efforts to handle the menace of fake news the sources addedThe Committee desire the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ensure that factchecking mechanism and internal ombudsman should be made mandatory in all print digital and electronic media organisations of the country one of its recommendations saidThe draft report is addressed to the Electronics and Information Technology Ministry as well as the committee scrutinises this ministry too The report is likely to be adopted by Parliament during the next sessionWhile asking for assigning accountability to editors and content heads for editorial control to owners and publishers for institutional failures and intermediaries and platforms for peddling fake news it underlined the need for amending penal provisions in existing Acts and rules to crack down on its publication and broadcastThe committee however added that this should involve and emerge from a consensusbuilding exercise among media bodies and relevant stakeholders The committee is of the opinion that the amount of fine can be increased so as to make it deterrent enough for creators and publishers of fake news it added The panel also noted that ambiguity mars the existing description of misinformation and fake news and asked the ministry to define it by incorporating suitable clauses in the current regulatory mechanism for print electronics and digital medialtpIt should be done while maintaining the delicate balance of combating misinformation and protecting freedom of speech and individual rights as guaranteed under the ConstitutionThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeverFlagging fake news with crossborder links and acknowledging complexities involved the committee has recommended interministerial collaboration at national level and multilateral cooperation with international bodiesThe government may emulate best practices adopted by other countries for example the French Law on Election Misinformation and to have a small but a dedicated InterMinisterial Task Force to deal with issues related to crossborder misinformation and fake news with representatives from the Information and Broadcasting External Affairs Electronics and Information Technology ministries besides legal experts it saidAdvocating close coordination between different ministries to develop concrete legal and technological solutions for identifying and prosecuting individuals and entities responsible for disseminating AIgenerated fake news the committee said AI tools should be leveraged with human oversight to do soThe committee recommends for InterMinisterial coordination for exploring the feasibility of licensing requirements for AI content creators and mandatory labelling of AIgenerated videos and content and apprise them about the action taken in the matter accordingly the report saidThe committee has also urged the ministries to formulate concrete timebound grievance redressal framework and implement digital tracking system of the grievances the sources saidThe Committee asked the Ministry to consider during their consultation with stakeholders a comprehensive media literacy curriculum which can be designed for the educational journey of a students Training the teachers instructors librarian etc at the school level can also be considered Besides public awareness campaign guidelines and frameworks for media literacy are essential for encouraging critical thinkingThe Committee may be apprised of the concrete outcome of the deliberations in this regardThe Ministry may also apprise the Committee about the concrete action taken by the Ministry of Education with respect to the suggestions of PCI for having media studies included in the curriculum for the childrenMost of the stakeholders the committee said have raised concern over the safe harbour clause under Section 79 of the IT Act 2000 which exempts digital platforms from liability from any thirdparty content subject to certain safeguardsFor most of digital news publishers or major social media intermediary platforms the revenue model is such that the sensational and potentially fake content gets more traction and the algorithms of such platform further amplifies such content it saidDuring examination of the subject most of the stakeholders expressed their concern related to amplification of fake news through algorithmic biases because this vicious cycle often leads to virality of fake news the committee said urging the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to ensure an interministerial coordination mechanismThe panel endorsed stricter fines and penalties for repeat offenders establish independent regulatory body use technological tools like AI to curb the spread of misinformation to deal with the issueUnchecked spread of misinformation particularly fake news has emerged as a global challenge as it poses a serious threat to public order by triggering strong sentiments and confusion democratic processes individual reputation stock market through insider trading and manipulating the market and the credibility of media the draft report has saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever