India Grapples with Rising Tide of Fake News and Deepfakes, Social Media Emerges as Primary Vector
New Delhi – A comprehensive study conducted by the Indian School of Business (ISB) and Cyber Peace has shed light on the alarming rise of fake news and deepfakes in India, with social media platforms serving as the primary breeding ground for misinformation. The research, titled "Fact-Checking India: Identifying the Spread of Fake News and Policy Recommendations for Combating Misinformation," delves into user behavior and perceptions, offering crucial insights into the spread and impact of fake news across various segments of Indian society.
Fake news, encompassing a wide range of fabricated or manipulated information disseminated primarily online, has become a pervasive issue. From satirical articles and manipulated images to outright propaganda and misleading advertisements, the diverse forms of fake news pose a significant threat to informed decision-making and social harmony. The study categorizes fake news into various formats, including text articles, multimedia content, hyperlinks, and standalone audio, each with distinct characteristics and potential implications. The proliferation of these deceptive narratives has been amplified by the widespread adoption of social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, which facilitate rapid and extensive information sharing, often bypassing traditional fact-checking mechanisms.
With over 820 million active Internet users, including a substantial rural population, India presents a fertile ground for the spread of misinformation. The increasing penetration of the internet, coupled with a growing engagement on social media, has created a digital ecosystem that exerts significant influence on various aspects of life, from connectivity and information access to social interaction and entertainment. The study found that a staggering 74.89% of Indian consumers rely primarily on social media for news, with a marked preference for video content, further exacerbating the challenge of combating misinformation.
The ISB-Cyber Peace study analyzed a significant volume of fake news instances, revealing that politically motivated fake news accounts for the largest share (46%), followed by general misinformation (33.6%) and religiously charged fake news (16.8%). Together, these three categories constitute a staggering 94% of the analyzed fake news content. Worryingly, social media platforms were identified as the source of 77.4% of fake news cases, dwarfing the 23% originating from mainstream media. Twitter and Facebook emerged as the dominant platforms for disseminating fake news, highlighting the urgent need for more robust content moderation and fact-checking mechanisms on these platforms.
The research also explored the demographic vulnerabilities to fake news, revealing that younger individuals (18-24 years old), those from low-income households, and individuals with lower educational attainment are more susceptible to believing and sharing misinformation without verification. This underscores the critical importance of media literacy programs that equip individuals with the skills to critically evaluate online information and identify potential misinformation. The study suggests a multi-pronged approach to tackle the challenge of fake news, including technological solutions, media literacy initiatives, improved reporting mechanisms, and the promotion of responsible online behavior.
The findings of the ISB-Cyber Peace study underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combat the growing menace of fake news and deepfakes. As India continues its rapid digital transformation, fostering a culture of digital citizenship, critical thinking, and ethical online practices becomes paramount. Policymakers, educators, and organizations must work together to implement media literacy programs, strengthen reporting mechanisms, and promote responsible online behavior to mitigate the negative impact of misinformation and safeguard the integrity of the digital ecosystem. The power of the internet for positive social, economic, and cultural development can only be fully realized if accompanied by a robust framework for combating the spread of fake news and promoting informed digital citizenship.