Online platforms have to take down content flagged as fake by PIB: Draft rules

The PIB Fact Check was set up in 2019. The twitter handle of the PIB Fact Check regularly flags fake news relating to the government, its ministries and scheme

New Delhi, Jan 18: A draft rule has been proposed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology which would require the social media platforms to take down content that has been fact checked by the Press Information Bureau's fact check unit as fake.

According to Rule 2(1)(b)(v) of the amended version of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, platforms shall make reasonable efforts to cause the user of its computer resource not to post content that has been identified as fake or false by the fact check unit of the Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting or other agency which its authorised by the Central Government for fact checking.

The Ministry on Tuesday uploaded a new draft of amendments to include regulations for online gaming platforms.

The requirement was added under due diligence requirements that intermediaries have to follow.

In a nut shell this would mean if a news item has been flagged as fake or false bu the PIB Fact Check or other fact checking agency authorised by the government, then the providers will have to disable the link to that news piece.

The PIB Fact Check unit was set up in 2019 to verify news that is related to the government, ministries, departments and schemes.

Due diligence by an intermediary:

An intermediary includes social media intermediary, significant social media intemediary and online gaming intermediary.

It says if an intermediary deceives or misleads the addressee about the origin of the message or knowingly and intentionally communicates any misinformation or information which is patently false and untrue or misleading in nature 1 or is identified as fake or false by the fact check unit at the Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting or other agency authorised by the Central Government for fact checking or, in respect of any business of the Central Government, by its department in which such business is transacted under the rules of business made under clause (3) of article 77 of the Constitution, the content shall be taken down.