According to a government statement, these outlets were “part of the fake news economy” and spread “fake, clickbait, and spectacular thumbnails and pictures of television news presenters of TV Channels to mislead.”
Several topics, such as the economy of India, natural disaster, and farmers’ protests, had been the targets of the channels’ false reporting. They have also been spreading edited films and photos with the intention of misleading their audience.
This move by the government coincides with rising anxiety over the prevalence of propaganda in India. According to a recent research by the National Centre for Media Studies, 62% of Indians have seen bogus news on social media.
The government’s efforts to combat fake news are encouraging, but they will not solve the problem on their own. Complex problems like fake news call for comprehensive solutions. The government must keep working with social media sites to get fake news taken down, but it must also educate the public on how to spot it.
Furthermore, the government must deal with issues like the proliferation of false information and the decline of public faith in authoritative sources. After that can we have any hope of solving India’s false news problem permanently?
Identifying fake news is easy if you follow these steps.
- If a headline seems too wonderful to be true, you should probably disregard it.
- Verify where you got your facts from. Is this a trustworthy source?
- Seek out documentation that backs up assertions.
Recognize your own prejudices. Do you tend to trust more information that backs up your already opinions?
Do not spread anything that you cannot verify as true.
Brief descriptions of the restricted services follow.
Over 5.57 million people subscribed to Nation TV, but it was recently exposed as a source of false information about voting, the Parliament and Supreme Court processes, and the operation of government.
Over 21,100 people subscribed to the channel Sarokar Bharat, which was recently exposed as spreading false information regarding the economy of India, the COVID-19, and farmer protests.
Over 25,400 people subscribed to the channel Nation 24, which was recently exposed as spreading false information about economy of India, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the farmers’ protests.
Over 3.48 million people subscribed to the channel Samvad Samachar, where false information about economy of India, the COVID-19, and farmer protests was found to be widely disseminated.
Swarnim Bharat: This channel, which boasted over 6,070 followers, was exposed for propagating false information regarding economy of India, the COVID-19, and the farmers’ protests.
Over 10.9 lakh subscribers watched Sambad TV, which was exposed for spreading false information about economy of India, the COVID-19, and the farmers’ protests.
After receiving complaints from a wide range of sources, the government claimed to have taken action against these outlets. Furthermore, it pledged to continue taking action against any outlet found to be broadcasting false information.
Where can I find a list of the blocked channels?
The Indian government has blocked the subsequent six YouTube channels:
- A Nation Television
- Sarokar Bharat
- A Nation at Twenty-Four
- To the Samvad Samachar
- Bharat, Swarnim
- TV Sambad
In what way did the channels become illegal?
Due to the channels’ promotion of false information, access to them has been restricted. They were discovered to be working as a component of a larger network of spreaders of false information.
How much false information were the channels broadcasting?
Several topics, including economy of India, the COVID-19, and the agriculture protests, were distorted by the channels’ false reporting. They have also been spreading edited films and photos with the intention of misleading their audience.
How does the government plan to counter disinformation campaigns?
In order to combat false news, the government has adopted the following measures: o prohibiting the broadcast of fake news stations
Facilitating the removal of disinformation from social media platforms and teaching users to spot false stories are two approaches.
Fake news can be stopped by: o preventing the spread of false information and the loss of faith in authoritative sources
How can I best fight the spread of false information?
One way you may help stop the spread of false news is by: o Not believing sensationalized headlines and o Verifying the credibility of content. Is this a trustworthy source?
o Being cognizant of one’s own biases and o Searching for evidence to back up one’s views. Do you tend to trust more information that backs up your already opinions?
Don’t spread something unless you’re positive it’s true.
Where can I learn more about hoaxes and how to spot them?
The following links provide further reading material on the topic of fake news:
National Cyber Security Coordinator; Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; Press Information Bureau; Digital India website; Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Reputable Sources’ Website The Alternative Press