NEW DELHI: The ministry of electronics and information technology on Wednesday notified the Centre’s ‘fact check unit’ as per IT rules under the Press Information Bureau. The move comes weeks after Bombay HC refused to restrain the Centre from notifying the FCU, a decision that has been challenged in SC, which will hear the plea Thursday.
The FCU is empowered to decide if an information uploaded on online platforms and social media is accurate or not.In case, the data is found to be “fake”, “false” or “misleading”, the platform will have to take down the information that is brought to its notice by the FCU or run the risk of losing “safe harbour” status. The “safe harbour” clause in the Information and Technology Act provides legal immunity to platforms against content shared by their users.
“The FCU is mandated to counter misinformation on govt policies, initiatives and schemes either suo motu or under a reference via complaints. The FCU actively monitors, detects, and counters disinformation campaigns, ensuring that false information about govt is promptly exposed and corrected,” the information and broadcasting ministry said in a statement.
The FCU is empowered to decide if an information uploaded on online platforms and social media is accurate or not.In case, the data is found to be “fake”, “false” or “misleading”, the platform will have to take down the information that is brought to its notice by the FCU or run the risk of losing “safe harbour” status. The “safe harbour” clause in the Information and Technology Act provides legal immunity to platforms against content shared by their users.
“The FCU is mandated to counter misinformation on govt policies, initiatives and schemes either suo motu or under a reference via complaints. The FCU actively monitors, detects, and counters disinformation campaigns, ensuring that false information about govt is promptly exposed and corrected,” the information and broadcasting ministry said in a statement.
