Karnataka govt plans to set up fact-checking teams to tackle fake news

Karnataka government has floated an 'Expression of Interest' (EOI) for empanelment of agencies to set up an Information Disorder Tackling Unit for it, aimed at tackling misinformation, disinformation, malinformation and fake news.

The Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) has floated the EOI and the deadline for proposal submission is October 16.

Minister for IT/BT Priyank Kharge said that the government of Karnataka is serious about tackling misinformation, disinformation, malinformation and fake news. The EOI has been floated for empanelment of agencies to set up such a unit for the government.

In a post on social media platform X, he said, "The EoI includes: Fact Verification Team -- This group will consist of impartial fact-checking organisations chosen by the state government to detect and address false information; Analytics Squad: Utilising advanced technologies such as data analytics and Artificial Intelligence, this team will actively oversee the ecosystem of misinformation; and Capacity Development team: This team will lead public awareness campaigns to educate people about the presence and consequences of the misinformation ecosystem."

The objective of seeking this EOI is to identify suitable agencies for each of these three components of the Karnataka Information Disorder Tackling Unit.

The invitation for bids is open to all entities registered in India who fulfil pre-qualification criteria specified.

The criteria include that -- they should be a legal entity/company registered in India, should have at least three years of existence as on August 31, 2023, should be involved in fact-checking service and have a track record of carrying similar activities/unit for other organisations.

Also, with regard to transparency of funding all funding received by the agency accounting for 5 per cent or more of total revenue for previous three financial years must be available on their website; and (there should be) no record of criminal proceedings on any serious crime or violation of code of conduct against the agency or any of the directors.