Committee Proposes Amendent for Criminal Penalties to Diffuse Fake News

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-09-10 09:00:49 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-10 14:11:27

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Fake news has been a widely discussed topic since the 2016 US election, and now a parliamentary committee in India has recommended some novel solutions to combat it.

The Committee on Subordinate Legislation, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), proposed recommendations for combating the dissemination of fake news, amid what the committee described as a danger to public order and the democratic process. The committee suggested amending the law to impose criminal penalties on those who use such tactics maliciously. Fines could be increased dramatically from their current levels, and could be tied to the revenue of the media organizations found guilty of spreading false information. Additionally, the committee proposed establishing clear lines of responsibility and mandatory fact checkers in all media outlets, which would stop false information before it gained traction.

The committee's recommendations are not just limited to fines and criminal liability. They also urged the I&B ministry to conduct more research on the topic, to create a clearer picture of the scale and breadth of the issue in India and to understand how it affects the country's media consumption. The ministry is reportedly already working on a wider consultation process involving all stakeholders, which will hopefully lead to even more insights and ideas to tackle this troubling problem.

This could be a watershed moment for journalism and media consumption in India. With opinions divided on the subject of fake news and its inherent implications on democracy, the committee's recommendations could provide a much-needed antidote to misinformation.

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