Supreme Court expresses concern over fake news and communal frenzy
Recently, the Supreme Court has expressed concern over fake news and communal bias in social media.
The Supreme Court regretted the absence of a regulatory mechanism to enforce accountability on web portals and organizations like YouTube for spreading fake news and information with communal leanings in the background of hearing a petition in the matter of Tablighi Jamaat meeting in Delhi.
Earlier, the Supreme Court in the year 2018 in Tehseen S. Poonawalla vs Union of India had directed the government to curb messages inciting mob violence and any kind of lynching on social media platforms.
Recently, the Center has enforced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Its aim is to strike a balance between the right of freedom of expression of the media and the right of citizens to get accurate information.
Key features of the rules:
- In case of offenses involving the sovereignty and integrity of India, the identification of the “first originator of information” would be required.
- A three-tier grievance redressal mechanism has been made mandatory.
- The central government claims that the establishment of a grievance redressal mechanism of digital news publishers does not interfere with the freedom of expression and freedom of expression of digital news publishers, but only provides a mechanism of accountability.
Source – The Hindu
