Question : Broadcasting of Fake News

(a) whether the Government has initiated steps to ban substandard online channels which are broadcasting fake news or news endangering national integrity;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the details of platform involved in the spread of fake news in the country;
(c) the number of fake news cases recorded and the action taken by the Government against guilty during the last two years;
(d) whether the Government has also constituted any supervisory or monitoring mechanism to ensure the quality of internet channels, supported with sufficient enforcement authority initiating action against the publishers;
(e) if so, the details thereof;
(f) the details of channels in Tamil Nadu against which actions have been initiated or publishing fake news during the said period; and
(g) whether the Government has undertaken any study or survey to determine the prevalence of fake news on National Media and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
(SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): News publishers on digital media are covered under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified on 25th February, 2021, under Information Technology Act, 2000. Part-III of these Rules provides for blocking of content of such news publishers for violation of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Invoking these provisions, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered blocking of 56 Youtube based news channels and their social media accounts for public access in 2021 and 2022.
(c) : A Fact Check Unit (FCU) has been set up in November, 2019 under Press Information Bureau of this Ministry. This unit takes cognizance of fake news both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and WhatsApp and responds to the relevant queries with correct information pertaining to the Central Government. The Unit also maintains a twitter account @PIBFactcheck and posts cases of fake news, being busted, on the same on regular basis. PIB Fact Check Unit has responded to 31,174 actionable queries.
(d) to (f): Content of publishers of news and current affairs on digital media and OTT platforms is governed under Part-III of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 which requires such publishers to adhere to a Code of Ethics prescribed under these Rules. Complaints/grievances relating to violation of the Code of Ethics is redressed through the three tier grievance redressal mechanism established under Rules as under:-
(a) Level-I- Self Regulation by the Publishers
(b) Level-II- Self Regulation by Self Regulating Bodies of the publishers
(c) Level-III- Oversight Mechanism by the Central Government.
No state-wise data regarding instances of fake news is maintained by Government.
(g): The Government addresses the issues of fake news and takes suitable action, including fact-checks, and under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.