Tackling the Disinformation Threat in India

Introduction

• The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025 lists misinformation and disinformation as the highest-ranked short-term global threat.
• These are classified as “information disorder” that can adversely affect public trust, democracy, economic stability, and global peace.
• The Indian context is particularly vulnerable due to rising internet penetration and a diverse socio-political environment.

1. Causes of Information Disorder in India

• Massive internet penetration: India is approaching 900 million internet users.
• Weak media literacy: Citizens often share unverified content, believing it to be accurate.
• Decline in trust in mainstream media: Leads people to rely on social media for news.
• Political exploitation: Political actors and foreign agencies use social platforms to spread propaganda.
• Algorithmic bias and echo chambers: Social media reinforces user biases, leading to misinformation bubbles.
• Foreign interference: India has faced Chinese disinformation campaigns post-2017 Doklam, using platforms like TikTok and Weibo.

2. Impact of Misinformation and Disinformation

• Manipulated narratives and communal tensions: Promotes hate speech and targeted propaganda.
• Undermines democratic processes: Influences voter behaviour and public opinion.
• Economic disruption: Triggers boycotts, tensions, and market impacts.
• Erosion of social cohesion: Misinformation divides people on religious, ethnic, and ideological lines.
• Security concerns: May fuel unrest or be exploited by non-state actors.

3. Indian Scenario: Key Statistics and Observations

• Study by CyberPeace Foundation:
  • Political disinformation accounts for 46%
  • General issues: 33.6%
  • Religious content: 16.8%
• Youth are most affected: Survey shows growing threat from false information among Indian youth.

4. International Measures and Global Lessons

• EU Digital Services Act: Targets digital misinformation and demands transparency from tech platforms.
• U.S. initiatives: Meta’s fact-checking collaborations to prevent false news circulation.
• China’s content control model: Bans or monitors foreign platforms to curb interference.

5. Recommended Measures for India

• Technological interventions:
  • Use of Generative AI responsibly
  • Investment in AI councils to supervise content flow
• Policy and regulation:
  • Cross-platform moderation guidelines
  • Fact-checking alliances like MeitY’s collaborations with Shakti-India Election Fact-Checking Collective
• Public awareness and digital literacy:
  • Campaigns such as RBI’s Financial Literacy Initiative and Lata Bachchan’s media awareness drives
• Legal reforms:
  • Strengthen cyber laws against harmful misinformation
  • Protect freedom of speech while penalizing malicious content
• Collaborative governance:
  • Establish independent regulators
  • Involve civil society, educators, and industry stakeholders
  • Form international coalitions to tackle cross-border information warfare

6. Ethical and Social Dimensions

• Balancing free speech and regulation: Need to protect civil liberties while countering harmful content.
• Collective responsibility: Citizens, platforms, and governments must build a culture of truth, digital civility, and information hygiene.
• Challenge beyond technology: It’s a democratic and moral test of unity, empathy, and equity.

Conclusion

• The disinformation threat is not just technological, but socio-political and ethical.
• It challenges national security, democratic values, and societal harmony.
• India must urgently adopt multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral solutions to safeguard its democracy and digital future.