Written by: Abhilahsa Nagendra, Ashmit Murkherjee, Atyantika Mookherjee, Ronojoy Borpujari, Shravan Haribalaraman
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely of the authors and do not represent the views of YLAC as an organisation.
The idea of ‘democracy’, a system of governance wherein the general public holds the authority to choose their leaders, has long been enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Since we gained independence in 1947, we have upheld this fundamental tenet of our society. However, in the recent past, a new force has emerged — one that threatens to delegitimise and disrupt our democracy to a significant extent. This force goes by the name of ‘misinformation’ and has proven to be one of the most pervasive problems in our country, plaguing millions of Indian citizens on a daily basis.
The 2019 General Elections served as a particularly fertile ground for the spread of misinformation. This particular election was held at a point in time in which the greatest number of Indians possessed access to social media and digital campaigning became an integral aspect of political strategising. Aptly dubbed the ‘WhatsApp Elections’; both the primary national parties — the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress — employed armies of volunteers to spread misinformation and propaganda through online and offline means.
Misinformation’s proliferation can be attributed to a combination of factors. For instance, in a society as communal as India, real and fake information is transmitted and absorbed at an incredible pace. This is especially true in today’s digital atmosphere, wherein a greater portion of the Indian population is being exposed to the Internet. While fake news existed long before online services came up, social media has offered a new, efficient and simplistic outlet for spreading misinformation that individuals, organisations and political parties have routinely employed. This brings to light the urgent requirement to understand and combat misinformation.
Unfortunately, public awareness about the problem is severely limited. Most of us know that fake news is a problem. But this is often where it ends. We notice that a majority of people, on an individual level, fail to verify news responsibly and adequately. Further, we tend to cross-check information we receive on Google and/or social media — two sources that have often been discredited for their reliability. Our judgment is also clouded by biases that ultimately influence how we process information and respond to emotional and shocking headlines, further exacerbating the issue.
Governments pay little to no attention to fake news and misinformation. Our legal system currently has no laws directly targeting misinformation, allowing political parties to exploit this and spread fake news without any consequences. The measures that have been taken so far, such as the ‘Election Commission of India’s Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation’ programme, have not seen any major success. It is clear that we must reform our attitudes towards misinformation, both as individuals and as a country, and treat the problem with the urgency it deserves. Even though government intervention becomes more unrealistic and infeasible by the second, each and every one of us can take action in a number of ways.
What we need is vigilance on behalf of the general public. Consumers need to realise that they are constantly encircled by fake news and sensational headlines; and we must urge them not to indulge with such fallacious accounts that serve as a medium for its propagation. Cognisance and initiative on behalf of society are vital. Making use of anti-fake news services such as WhatsApp’s Checkpoint Tipline, the Press Information Bureau’s Bulletin, and fact-checking websites including AltNews and Boom are steps that will add to the fight against misinformation.
Symbiotic relationships between such organisations and social media platforms where information can be fact-checked or flagged for being inaccurate or misleading is also a potential solution. This can contribute to reinstating a sense of trust in online sources of news. Additionally, financially supporting such initiatives — most of which are currently grossly underutilised, surreptitious in practice and largely based on the need of the hour — will go a long way in safeguarding what is the greatest casualty of misinformation: the truth.
For elections in a democratic country, we need our government to enact more stringent legislation to curb the spread of fake news. Greater intervention on behalf of the Election Commission of India to ensure the ideals of fair elections, transparency and voting based on an accurate representation of events are upheld will serve as another fortification against the increasing onslaught of misinformation not only through social media but via the fourth estate as well.
Undertaking digital literacy campaigns is also of paramount importance to ensure that citizens most susceptible to the noxious nature of misinformation are not only conscious of its existence but also aware of the tools needed to overcome it. Governments can also undertake the distribution of tenders to encourage more organisations to debunk falsehoods, but for now, with governments themselves sharing in the spoils of misinformation, this remains a pipe dream.
What is democracy without responsibility? What is politics without credibility? What is the media without veracity? How are we citizens if we are governed by those we elected on the basis of vapours of truth? With falsities actively being peddled to the largely clueless masses through forms of media that once served as the watchdogs of democracy, we are confined to a mobius strip, one which we can only break by enacting severe rectifications on multiple fronts. India confidently boasts the title of the world’s largest democracy but what good is being the largest if we are unable to speak truth to power?
There are a plethora of difficult questions that need answering, but the answer to all of them lies in our ability to address misinformation — by being responsible carriers of information and holding our authorities accountable. Without this, we as citizens are jeopardising our responsibility as voters and more significantly.