Indian tech hub state pushes jail terms for 'fake news', sparks worries

1/7/2025 11:44

Draft legislation by India's tech hub state of Karnataka that would impose jail terms of up to seven years for spreading "fake news" and other misinformation has stirred concerns among free speech activists that it could lead to censorship. With nearly 1 billion internet users, the stakes are high in a sprawling country of many ethnic and religious communities where fake news risks stirring deadly strife and AI deepfake videos have alarmed officials during elections.

India's federal government already regulates social media content with legislation empowering it to order takedowns of disputed content. But some states such as Karnataka have begun taking their own measures.



Karnataka's bill, the strictest of its kind yet, stipulates that those posting "fake news" and "anti-feminist" content, or "promoting superstition", would face imprisonment along with potential fines.



The 11-page Karnataka Mis-Information And Fake News (Prohibition) Bill does not define such offences in practice, but said special courts and a regulatory committee would be set up to implement it.



Free speech advocates have cited what they say would be the risk of selective enforcement arising from Karnataka's measure and flagged concerns that people posting memes or making honest mistakes online could be prosecuted.