The Rising Tide of Fake News and Misinformation

The growing threats of fake news and misinformation in India, their impact on public health, elections, and social harmony, and the critical role of media literacy in combating them.

From impacting elections by skewing public perception, influencing voter behaviour, and even manipulating election outcomes, misinformation and fake news have larger implications than we realise. Public health is another critical area affected. False information about diseases, treatments, and vaccines has led to widespread panic and mistrust, undermining efforts to combat health crises effectively.

Beyond these, misinformation has also fueled communal tensions, spreading falsehoods that ignite conflicts and deepen divides in society. It has disrupted economic stability by propagating rumours that affect markets and consumer behaviour, as we saw recently with the stock market's bloodbath. Moreover, it has eroded trust in media and institutions, creating a culture of scepticism where truth and lies are increasingly difficult to distinguish.

WhatsApp University Gaining Momentum 

"WhatsApp University" has become a pervasive term in India, referring to the rampant spread of fake news and misinformation through WhatsApp forwards. This has far-reaching consequences and the state machinery has not been able to combat misinformation and fake news spread through WhatsApp forwards in a significant way.

Amitabh Kumar, Founder and Director of Social Media Matters, emphasises the severity of the issue: "WhatsApp University is a term that has gained widespread acceptance. Figures from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to journalist Ravish Kumar use it. It’s striking to consider that WhatsApp, a private company based in America, profits from data while being the primary vehicle for misinformation inside our country. Our collective helplessness in this regard is astonishing. A huge portion of misinformation is propagated by this app from the Meta family, and we are unable to take effective action against it, whether through the courts or government intervention."

Kumar adds: “Brexit was a prime example, as was Trump's election to power. In India, misinformation is similarly used to emotionally charge voters. Today, people are voting based on myths rather than facts. Over the years, many have highlighted the lack of media literacy in India, leading to people being easily swayed. We are, unfortunately, in a very dangerous position."