Demand For Law To Curb Fake News On Social Media

Congress MP Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday demanded the framing of a law to regulate fake news and indecent language on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress leader said communal riots and societal divide were being created by the circulation of fake news on social media.

“Studies have shown that fake news is more dangerous than terrorism,” he said. “Many people (tweeting fake news) are followed by big people,” he added without naming anyone.

He demanded a comprehensive law so that indecent language and spread of communal poison could be checked on social media.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the issue was important, but there was a need to evolve a consensus else there will be allegations of trampling freedom of expression.