Following The 'Chief'?: Karnataka Government Announces 'Fact-Check Unit'

The Karnataka government has announced the establishment of a unit to 'counter misinformation' and make its dissemination punishable.

The purported aim of the unit is to tackle fake news. This unit will fall under the authority of the Ministry of Information Technology and Biotechnology, as disclosed by its minister, Priyank Kharge.

This report in the Deccan Herald mentions that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested officials to formulate regulations to combat fake news.

In the same report, the Chief Minister is quoted outlining a three-tier approach to address the problem:

1. Identifying the 'syndicates' responsible for spreading fake news.

2. Curbing the dissemination of false information.

3. Imposing 'stringent punishments' on those responsible.

Karnataka Minister for Information Technology Priyank Kharge further indicated that his department would require support from the state government when it came to tackling the law and order issues caused by 'fake news'.

Media reports suggest that the proposed fact-check unit will primarily consist of nodal officials, a fact-finding committee, a capacity-building team, and an overseeing committee.