- We live in a world where we aren’t only consumers of information but creators as well.
- Free service has given access to everyone to post whatever they want and thus create a trend in fake news spreading like wildfire.
- Competition among websites and social media platforms has sometimes resulted in the generation of fake news.
- Everyone is in hurry to LIKE/SHARE/COMMENT rather than checking the authenticity of the news.
- The most common fake stories revolve around politics and the attempt is to polarise society, particularly during political events. Experts have warned that the Indian elections are at risk too with fake news.
- There is no regulator in social media platform as we have in Print or Television media.
Challenges
- Rampant misuse of social media to launch “inhuman and vile cyber-attacks”.
- School children spending more time on internet during the coronavirus pandemic has driven a spike in online child sex abuse around the world.
- Enforcement and implementation of existing laws is not very good.
- It’s generally not very easy for victims or individuals to file and proceed with complaints.
- Only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal are converted into First Information Reports (FIRs).
- A Private Member’s bill was introduced in Parliament called the Social Media Accountability Bill and it sought to impose a range of obligations on social media platforms, and also create a new regulator to oversee the space. However, the Bill wasn’t actually taken up by Parliament.
