543 TV channels not part of self-regulatory body, committee finds

Who it concerns: Ministry of Electronics and IT, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, media broadcasters, journalists, content creators, and social media intermediaries.

What the committee found

• The Committee noted that 'fake news' is not defined under any law and recommended defining it under existing regulatory mechanisms for print, electronic, and digital media.
• The Committee recommended exploring the constitution of an independent body to adjudicate cross-platform fake news cases and recommend penalties, with representatives from the Ministry of Electronics and IT and other stakeholders.
• The Committee noted the absence of a specific penal provision for publishing fake news and recommended ensuring accountability of editors, publishers, and intermediaries, as well as exploring the cancellation of accreditation for journalists or creators guilty of propagating fake news.
• The Committee recommended mandating all broadcasters to have a self-regulation mechanism and requiring every media organization to have a fact-checking mechanism and an internal ombudsman.
• The Committee recommended creating a unified digital portal for grievance redressal regarding fake news and increasing public awareness about these mechanisms.
• The Committee recommended a balanced approach to using AI to combat fake news, with human oversight, and suggested inter-ministerial coordination to explore licensing requirements and labelling for AI-generated content.
• The Committee recommended enforcing transparency in algorithms, introducing stricter fines for repeat offenders, and establishing an independent regulatory body to make social media intermediaries more accountable.

Also in the document

• Out of 919 TV channels permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 543 channels were not members of any self-regulatory body (SRB).
• There is no time limit for the Press Council of India (PCI) to act on grievances in print media.
• There is no mechanism to digitally track and notify complainants regarding print media grievances.
• The Committee highlighted a delay in removing fake news videos from circulation once an order against them has been passed.