Datanomics: India's fake news challenge grows amid rising AI misuse

Misinformation rises sharply despite laws and fact checks

As modes of communication booms, so is  misleading information. Despite the existence of laws to curb misinformation, incidents of fake news continue to rise in the country. The issue is set to rise further as the use of artificial intelligence spreads. Between 2017 and 2023, around 5,377 fake news cases were registered in India. Nearly 30 per cent of these were related to fake news circulated on social media, with conviction rates ranging between 30 per cent and 35 per cent during this period. Amid spread of misinformation, the union government's Press Information Bureau came out with its own fact check unit.  The unit fact checked 2787 queries during 2019 (December 19) -2025. 

 

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The number of fake news cases rose from 257 in 2017 to 1,087 in 2023. During the same period, cases specifically related to fake news on social media increased from 170 to 209.

 

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From 2022 to 2024, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and WhatsApp emerged as the primary platforms associated with the spread of fake news in India.

 

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Theme-wise data on fake news in India between 2022 and 2024 shows that political content accounted for 43 per cent of all fake news.

 

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Among the world’s leading economies surveyed, India records the highest share of people who believe misinformation is a serious problem. There is a comparatively lower support in India for unrestricted internet use without censorship.