YouTube: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sent a memorandum to several digital platforms in an effort to crack down on online “misinformation” ahead of the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
The government has issued instructions for the video streaming platform YouTube. In these instructions issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), platforms have been asked to initiate legal measures against fake news channels and put disclaimers on those channels. Let us tell you that recently the government has also issued a warning to social media platforms to remove content related to child sexual abuse in India.
Government issues instructions to several digital platforms
In an effort to crack down on “misinformation” online ahead of the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sent a memorandum to several digital platforms. According to IANS, the government also advised that a disclaimer should also be shown on these channels to counter the menace of fake news.
A “News Not Verified” label on fake news channels has been proposed by the authorities. The directive comes at a time when the potential censorship controversy over the government’s plan to appoint a fact-check unit is already heated up.
The government has asked social media firms with more than 50 lakh users to submit a plan within the next 10 days to stop fake news and illegal content. Let us tell you that this update comes a few days after the Ministry sent a notice to YouTube to remove Child Sexual Abuse Content (CSAM) or face strict punishment.
