Parliamentary Panel Recommends Penal Amendment & Mandatory Fact-Checking to Combat Fake News

New Delhi, Sept 10: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has called fake news a serious threat to public order and democracy. In its draft report adopted unanimously on Tuesday, the panel recommended several measures to curb its spread.

Key Recommendations

• Amend existing penal provisions in current media laws to increase fines and enforce accountability for creators and publishers of fake news.
• Make it mandatory for print, digital, and electronic media organizations to establish an internal fact-checking mechanism and an independent ombudsman.
• Define “fake news” and “misinformation” clearly in regulations to avoid ambiguity, while ensuring freedom of speech is upheld.

Accountability & Oversight

The panel stressed the need to assign responsibility along the media ecosystem: editors and content heads must oversee editorial control; owners and publishers must be held accountable for institutional failings; and intermediaries and platforms must be responsible when distributing misleading content.

Broader Collaboration & AI Measures

To strengthen enforcement, the committee urged inter-ministerial cooperation and international collaboration, suggesting the formation of a dedicated task force comprising ministries such as I&B, IT, External Affairs, and legal experts. Furthermore, they recommended exploring licensing for AI-generated content and mandatory labeling of such content, guided by human oversight.

Media Literacy & Grievance Mechanism

Recognizing the role of education in curbing misinformation, the report suggested developing a media literacy curriculum along with public awareness campaigns. It also emphasized implementing a time-bound grievance redressal and tracking system for reported fake news.

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Labels: Fake News, Media Regulation, Parliamentary Panel, Fact-Checking, Freedom of Speech

Tags: #FakeNews #MediaAccountability #FactChecking #Parliament #Democracy

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