The government has intensified efforts to counter misinformation, with the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check Unit (FCU) issuing over 2,900 fact-checks to debunk fake news related to the Centre.
Functioning under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the FCU identifies and verifies misleading or false content concerning government policies and announcements. After verification from authorised sources, it disseminates accurate information through its official social media platforms.
According to the Ministry, the unit has so far published a total of 2,913 fact-checks, addressing a wide range of misinformation, including deepfakes, AI-generated content, fake notifications, forged letters, and fraudulent websites. These fact-checks are shared across multiple platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Threads, and WhatsApp Channels.
The Ministry highlighted that during Operation Sindoor, the FCU played a key role in identifying and countering hostile narratives and false claims circulating online. It also facilitated the blocking of over 1,400 URLs carrying misleading or anti-India content during the operation.
The government has also put in place a regulatory framework under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which outlines a Code of Ethics for digital news publishers and establishes a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism for addressing violations.
The Ministry said the FCU also encourages citizens to report suspicious content for verification, promoting greater public participation in the fight against misinformation.
The information was shared in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan in response to a parliamentary query.
