In the growth area of false news in India, the government itself has chosen to take up the front to identify their sources. For this, Broadcaster Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) has released the tenders.
Companies have been requested to implement solutions and services for fact-checking and identifying false news in these tenders.
In the tender, BECIL has declared it necessary to restrict companies to locate roots behind fake news, including their geo-location. But, cyber law specialists say this will clear the way for the government to control people illegally, and it can be used to explore for prisoners.
Salman Waris, founder of the cyber law company Techlegis Advocates and Solicitors, said, “If we don’t know what is fake news and what is not, how will the tender who gets it know what is right and what is fake?” What is the need for identification and verification of? However, this would open the way for them to monitor illegally and unethically.”
The Ministry of Information Technology recently said that it is still working on the guidelines of Fake News. Already, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has been fact-checking the viral reports on media and social media. However, before this, the government has already placed the responsibility of social media companies to stop the spread of fake news and misinformation. In August 2018, Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told social media companies that they should use technology to stop fake news. Prasad made this suggestion after some incidents of mob lynching in the country.
The Ministry of Information Technology said, “it is as yet dealing with the rules of Fake News. As of now, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has been checking the viral reports on media and internet-based life. Before this, the administration has just put the duty of online networking organizations to stop the spread of false news and lie.
In August 2018, Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told social networking organizations that they should use addition to stop fake news. Prasad made this proposal after specific incidents of crowd lynching in the nation.
 under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) has released the tenders.){kind=link}