Tackling The Disinformation Threat In India

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Risks Report 2025 underscores misinformation and disinformation as the highest-ranked short-term global threat.

About Misinformation vs. Disinformation

• Misinformation: False information spread by mistake, without the intent to deceive. Example: Sharing a fake earthquake report without verifying.
• Disinformation: False information spread deliberately to mislead. Example: Creating a fake news article to push an agenda.
  • Disinformation is fueled by: AI-generated content, Algorithmic biases, deepening societal divides.

Reasons for the Spread of Disinformation: 

• Algorithmic Amplification: Social media algorithms prioritize engagement, often boosting sensational and misleading content that triggers emotional responses.
• AI-Generated Content: The rise of generative AI has made it easier to create deep fakes, manipulated images, and text-based misinformation that appears credible.
• Declining Trust in Traditional Media: As faith in traditional media erodes, this creates an environment where political actors and non-state entities exploit information gaps to spread false narratives.
  • As per the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, India saw a 3 percentage point decline in overall trust in news, now at 38%, ranking 24th among 46 countries.
• Foreign Influence: Countries like China and Russia have been accused of using disinformation tactics to influence elections, social stability, and public discourse in other nations.
  • Example: Platforms such as Weibo, operating within China, have been actively trying to propagate a distorted image of India.
• Echo Chambers : Social media creates insular spaces where people consume information that aligns with their existing beliefs, reinforcing biases and misinformation.
• Virality Over Veracity: The need for quick information sharing often outweighs fact-checking, leading people to spread falsehoods unintentionally.
  • Risks are escalating, especially with concerns over Meta potentially ending fact-checking partnerships, as seen in the U.S.

India’s Vulnerability to Disinformation

• Expanding Digital Landscape: India is on track to exceed 900 million Internet users, making it a major target for disinformation campaigns.
• Low Digital Literacy Rate: While internet penetration has increased significantly, many users lack critical digital skills to verify information.
  • In 2022, a report by Oxfam reported that only 38% of the households in India are digitally literate.
• Election Manipulation: During the 2024 general elections, deepfakes and AI-generated content were weaponized to sway voter sentiment. 
  • A study by the Indian School of Business (ISB) and CyberPeace Foundation found:
    • 46% of disinformation relates to politics.
    • 33.6% covers general issues.
    • 16.8% involves religious content.
• Foreign Interference: China has been a persistent actor, using platforms like Weibo and banned apps (e.g., TikTok) to push pro-China narratives, especially after the 2017 Doklam standoff.
• Religious & Ethnic Tensions: Fake news has triggered mob violence (e.g., lynchings fueled by WhatsApp rumors). 
  • Example: Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 caused by fake video fuelled communal passions
• Economic Sabotage: Misinformation has led to consumer boycotts, stock market manipulation, and damage to businesses.
  • Example: Coronavirus misinformation and false virus fears caused an estimated $1 billion loss for the poultry industry.
• Lack of Regulation: India lacks specific laws to counter deep fakes, unlike the EU’s AI Act or U.S. executive orders on AI safety.

Challenges in Tackling The Spread Of Disinformation

• Passive Forwarding Culture: Many users unknowingly share unverified content, amplifying misinformation without malicious intent.
• Safe Harbor Protections: Social media platforms escape liability due to safe harbor protections, which shield them from legal responsibility for user-generated content.
• Linguistic Diversity: India’s linguistic diversity, with 22 official languages and hundreds of dialects, poses a major challenge in tackling disinformation.
• Rise of Deepfakes: AI-powered deepfake tools are now widely accessible, making it easier for malicious actors to manipulate public perception.
• Encryption: Encrypted messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram) make it harder to track and stop disinformation at its source.
• No Specific Anti-Disinformation Law: India relies on IT Act (2000, amended 2008), which lacks clear definitions of disinformation.
• Underfunded Fact-Checking Ecosystem: Example: Fact-checkers like Alt News operate on limited budgets.

Measures Taken by India  to Tackle Disinformation

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact-Check Unit: Verifies government-related misinformation and issues clarifications.
• Election Commission’s Voter Awareness & Misinformation Control: Monitors election-related fake news and deep fake content to protect democratic processes.
• National Digital Literacy Mission” (NDLM) and “Digital Saksharta Abhiyan” (DISHA) were implemented by the Government with a target to train 52.50 lakh candidates in digital literacy across the country.
• IT Rules, 2021: It is a legal obligation for online platforms to prevent the spread of disinformation by any user under the Information Technology (IT) rules, 2021.
• Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000: Blocks access to information online necessary in the interest of the safety and the security of the state.
• Disaster Management Act (DMA), 2005: Fake claims and warnings may attract imprisonment of up to one year or a fine under Sections 52 and 54 of the Disaster Management Act (DMA), 2005.

Recommendations of the Global Risk Report 2025

• Skill Development & Accountability: Developers working with AI algorithms need continuous upskilling to ensure responsible and effective deployment. 
  • Supervisory boards and AI councils should be established to oversee Generative AI practices and enforce ethical guidelines.
• Disinformation Control: Fact-checking initiatives, such as Shakti – India Election Fact-Checking Collective and the Deepfake Analysis Unit, must be strengthened to combat misinformation. 
• Regulation of Big Tech: India should leverage its vast social media user base to push for regulatory influence on major platforms. 
  • Very Large Online Platforms (with over 45 million users) must be subject to audits and transparency measures similar to the EU’s Digital Services Act. 
  • Online advertisements should include mandatory funding disclosures to prevent malicious actors from spreading false narratives.
• Balancing Surveillance & Democratic Safeguards: Efforts to control disinformation must not be misused for excessive surveillance or censorship. 
  • There is a need to balance between security and freedom of expression.
• Public Awareness & Resilience: Expanding financial literacy and critical thinking initiatives, such as the RBI’s campaign with Amitabh Bachchan, is essential for fostering informed digital citizenship. 
• Cybersecurity & Independent Research: Increased funding should be allocated for cybersecurity research and innovation to strengthen digital defenses. 
  • Independent research on disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation & Interference (FIMI) should be supported. 
  • Stronger legal protections for journalists must be enacted to safeguard press freedom.
• Global Cooperation: Given the transnational nature of disinformation, cross-border coalitions should be established to coordinate global responses and enhance international efforts to combat digital threats.

Conclusion

India, as the world’s largest democracy, must lead by example in promoting truth, unity, and equality in an increasingly polarized digital world. The challenge lies not only in combating falsehoods but also in preserving the nation’s diversity and democratic values.