The Centre today said that, to bust myths about rumours and check fake news related to the Central Government, a Fact Check Unit (FCU) was set up under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in November 2019. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan informed that, as an authentication agency, the FCU works to provide correct information to the public.
Dr. Murugan said the special PIB Unit verifies the news from authorised sources in ministries and departments of the Government of India and posts correct information on its social media platforms. He said that to check fake news in print media and TV media, bodies like the Press Council of India and the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 are already in place in the country. He said that for the content of publishers and news and current affairs on digital media, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 have been notified, which prescribe a code of ethics that requires them to adhere to the norms of Journalistic Conduct and Programme Code.
The minister said the Ministry of Home Affairs has also taken an initiative to check sexually explicit content, child pornography, child sexual abusive material, rape, and gang rape imagery with a scheme for Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC). Dr. Murugan said that under the CCPWC scheme, an online cybercrime reporting portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in, has been launched, which enables the public to report complaints pertaining to cyber crimes against women and children.
