Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, June 20, issued instructions to police to identify the sources of fake news and take legal action against those responsible for spreading misinformation online.
Siddaramaiah held a discussion with Home Minister G Parameshwara on the implementation of necessary measures to combat fake news. “When the previous Congress came to power in 2013, the prevalence of fake news had increased, and political opponents are resorting to similar tactics this time as well. With the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, there is a heightened risk of increased dissemination of fake news aiming to sow discord in society. To counter this, the government has proposed the early identification of sources of fake news and the implementation of necessary measures to combat them,” Chief Minister said.
In 2021, the Karnataka police deployed a dedicated cyber team and fact-checking experts to assess the authenticity of viral videos and photographs related to information about COVID-19 on social media platforms.
The government is planning to reinstate the initiative, focused on detecting and fact-checking fake news and raising public awareness. The cyber police will work to trace the origins of fake news. The Chief Minister has sought a monthly report on the progress made in this regard.