Page 2 - Fake News

Operation Sindoor: India needs information-defence, not just rebuttals

Counter-narratives do exist today, but coming from unofficial sources, they often get lost in the noise of disinformation

Rs 500 notes are not being withdrawn: Govt rejects fake YouTube video

A viral video claims Rs 500 notes will be discontinued by 2026; government confirms there's no such plan

15% of Army time lost to fake news during Op Sindoor: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

CDS General Anil Chauhan stresses on measured communication, cyber threats, and real-time integration in modern warfare

12 common cancer myths busted: What doctors say you must stop believing

Fact-check Friday: Doctors debunk persistent cancer myths-from sugar and deodorants to breast surgery and mobile phones-that often mislead patients, delay diagnosis, and derail treatment decisions

Fact Check: Govt debunks false report by China Daily on Indian jets' crash

The Indian government clarified that most of the conflict-related misinformation originated from Pakistani social media accounts

Govt debunks claims of suicide attack on Army brigade in J-K's Rajouri

The government on Friday dismissed claims of a suicide attack on an Army brigade in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and a drone attack in Punjab's Jalandhar by certain social media handles as "fake news". The Press Information Bureau's (PIB) Fact Check Unit found that there was no "fidayeen" or suicide attack on any Army cantonment in Jammu and Kashmir, while the video claiming to be that of a drone attack in Jalandhar pertained to a farm fire. The district collector of Jalandhar has confirmed it to be disinformation, the PIB said. "A total of seven videos were fact-checked between 22:00 hours on May 8, 2025, and 06:30 hours on May 9. A list of the fact-checked videos, along with their links, has been compiled," the PIB said. It found that an old video shared on social media claiming to be of Pakistan's missile attack on India was actually of an explosive attack that took place in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2020. In another case, a video claiming the destruction of an Indian Army post by ...

How a false Trump tariff pause headline moved $2.4 trillion on Wall Street

US media outlets mistakenly flashed a false news claiming the Trump administration was considering a 90-day pause on tariffs for all countries except China

Sebi removes 70K misleading social media posts, accounts since Oct 2024

Addressing the Association of Registered Investment Advisors (ARIA) summit, Narayan underscored Sebi's focus on investor awareness

101 social media accounts face action for misinformation on Maha Kumbh

Legal action has been initiated against 101 social media accounts in 10 cases for allegedly spreading misleading information related to the Maha Kumbh and Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh Police said on Wednesday. The action followed directives from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to curb fake news and misinformation regarding the mega event. According to Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar, a comprehensive cyber patrolling strategy was implemented to monitor and counter the spread of misleading content. Under this initiative, Uttar Pradesh Police and expert agencies have been continuously tracking social media platforms for fake posts, rumours, and cyber offences related to the Maha Kumbh. On Wednesday, it was found that certain accounts falsely linked a video from Pakistan's Karak district to the Maha Kumbh stampede in Prayagraj. The video was accompanied by a song titled "Ye Prayagraj Hai", with a claim that "even serving one's parents won't cleanse sins, but h

Manipur govt asks people to stay calm, not to fall prey to misinformation

The Manipur government on Tuesday urged people to stay calm and not to fall prey to unverified news, rumours or misinformation that may cause unnecessary panic or disrupt peace and harmony in the state. The appeal was made amid a leadership crisis following the resignation of N Biren Singh from the post of chief minister on February 9. "It has also come to the notice of the government that certain unscrupulous individuals and groups may deliberately attempt to incite unrest, disrupt harmony and spread fear among the public using false information, inflammatory content or fabricated narratives," a statement issued by Chief Secretary P K Singh said. "Such attempts are intended to create lawlessness, and the public is strongly advised not to give heed to such misinformation or incitement," it added. To ensure that people receive accurate information, the government has set up a control room, where citizens can verify any news or information they come across. The control room can be ..

Meta abandoning fact-checking not good for fight against misinformation

In a video, the company's chief, Mark Zuckerberg, said fact checking had led to 'too much censorship' and added 'to get back to our roots around free expression'

Disinformation, fake news powerful enough to disrupt society: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said disinformation, misinformation, mal-information, and fake news have such power that they are always ready to tear the social fabric with the use of the latest technology. He also underlined that divisive forces are still active in the country, Delivering the '37th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture', Shah said a country where social unity does not exist cannot progress in any meaningful way. Responsibility for addressing these challenges and preparing the entire police force to tackle them now lies with the country's information warriors, he said. He said that by identifying and eliminating threats promptly, the intelligence ecosystem helps maintain trust and stability within society. He said if challenges such as Naxalism, terrorism, organised crime, divisive forces, communalism, narcotics, and antisocial elements are to be fully controlled, ensuring the security of society is of paramount importance. Shah said there was

RBI cautions on deepfake videos of governor giving financial advice

"These videos attempt to advise people to invest their money in such schemes using technological tools," the central bank said in a statement

Need accountability in digital media to combat fake news: Vaishnaw

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday chaired the National Press Day celebrations at the National Media Centre virtually, a press release said.The event was also graced by the presence of Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr L. Murugan, Chairperson of the Press Council of India, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and veteran journalist, Kundan Ramanlal Vyas.According to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Vaishnaw while addressing the gathering virtually highlighted India's vibrant and diverse media ecosystem, which includes 35,000 registered newspapers, numerous news channels, and a robust digital infrastructure. The Minister noted that investments in 4G and 5G networks have propelled India to the forefront of digital connectivity with the lowest data prices globally.However,

Parl panel to hear views of media bodies on mechanism to curb fake news

A parliamentary committee headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has called media bodies -- News Broadcasters and Digital Association and Editors Guild of India -- to depose before it on the issue of curbing "fake news". An official statement said the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology will meet on November 21 on the subject of "Review of mechanism to curb fake news". The panel will hear the views of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) and Editors Guild of India (EGI), it said. The committee had earlier decided to review the mechanism to curb fake news as well as the issues related to the emergence of OTT platforms. With cryptocurrency making its presence felt in India, the committee will also examine the emergence of new forms of currencies and their impact. The panel has selected the impact of the emergence of Artificial Intelligence and related issues as one of its subjects. It is mandated to examine the functioning of the ministries of

Ratan Tata death: Times when ex-Tata chairman debunked fake news about him

Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away in Mumbai on October 9. Throughout his remarkable social media presence, he actively debunked false news about himself

EC reviews poll preparedness in Maharashtra, seeks action against fake news

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Saturday ordered a crackdown on fake news on social media in Maharashtra, where assembly elections are due later this year, sources said. Reviewing the poll preparedness in Maharashtra along with fellow Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu, Kumar also directed state police officers to speed up investigation in electoral offences filed in the state during the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. The Election Commission, which is in Mumbai to review poll preparedness in Maharashtra, met district electoral officers (DEOs), superintendents of police, municipal commissioners, divisional commissioners and other senior officials of the state government. Taking a strong view, the CEC made it clear that the game of fake news on social media will not be allowed to prevail and directed officials to ensure swift response and action against the menace. The CEC reviewed the Assured Minimum Facilities at all polling stations and ..

One person's fact, another's fake news: Media must improve verification too

It will benefit the media to make the standards of fact-checking more rigorous, with information being verified by at least two independent sources

Man smashing Vande Bharat window sparks outrage, but what's the truth?

A video that went viral on social media shows a man breaking Vande Bharat's window glass with a hammer. Several X users demanded strict action against the person

B'deshi journo, woman booked for spreading fake news against Sonia, Rahul

An FIR has been registered by the Bengaluru Police against a Bangladeshi journalist and a woman staffer of an Indian news portal for allegedly spreading fake news and misinformation about Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, both senior Congress leaders. The case was registered at the High Grounds police station against the journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhaury and Aditi - working with the news portal, for sharing his claims on its social media handle, they said. According to the complainant Srinivas G, associated with the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), the Bangladeshi journalist allegedly shared a post on his X handle linking Sonia Gandhi to a foreign spy agency. He alleged Choudhary did so with an intention to malign the public image of the Gandhi family and that the journalist had shared such a post to create enmity between two religions. Srinivas charged Choudhury with having made certain claims about Rahul Gandhi. "B