India must counter peddlers of fake news

Government must act against propagation of falsehood without compromising media freedom

Adecree vowing a crackdown on fake news floated by the Indian government last week instantly gathered infamy as the Narendra Modi Cabinet attempted to quash negative and unpalatable media coverage ahead of general elections due next year. Thankfully, the ill-conceived decision to blacklist “errant” journalists lasted less than a day and was swiftly rescinded by Modi himself. But the so-called attempt to fight fake news has renewed questions about freedom of the press in the world’s largest democracy.

First, the initial order was issued without specifying what constituted fake news. Instead, it threatened to suspend any reporter’s press credentials simply on an accusation of spreading fake news.

Second, mainstream media has questioned the independence of the watchdog assigned to punish those peddling fake news — Press Council of India. Many media associations have decried the manner in which the council was reconstituted recently, with most new members said to be close to the federal government or the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Third, fake news has truly reached epic proportions in India, where hundreds of millions of people have gained internet access in the past few years. Any attempt to fight the menace is praiseworthy, but no effort was made to strike at the root of such proliferation — half-baked information and rumours peddled on social media for gullible readers by propaganda outlets and partisan quasi-news platforms.

A free and independent media is the backbone of any thriving democracy. If the Indian government really intends to crack down on misinformation, then it must take action against all those found guilty of propagating such falsehood without compromising on the independence and freedom of the media.