Fake News a Threat to Democracy, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday warned that fake news poses a serious threat to democracy, stressing the urgent need for strict measures to curb misinformation, deepfakes and harmful online content.

Responding to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Mr Vaishnaw said the Government has issued a new draft rule aimed at identifying and taking action against AI-generated deepfakes, which he described as an emerging and dangerous challenge in the digital space.

He also informed the House that both the Government and the Press Council of India are actively examining complaints related to TV channels and newspapers. 

Fake narratives, he said, must be countered decisively. Ensuring trust in society, he further added, is a shared responsibility of the Central and State governments as well as civil society.

Highlighting the transformative impact of the Digital India initiative, Mr Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought a new digital revolution to the country, and its benefits are being widely felt. 

He also noted that the Government has enacted a strict law to regulate online money gaming, a move that is protecting and benefiting crores of families nationwide.