Tackling the disinformation threat in India

Introduction:

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Risks Report 2025 underscores misinformation and disinformation as the highest ranked short-term global threat.

The WEF defines “global risk” as an event that can adversely a•ect a sizeable portion of the population, the global GDP, and natural resources

 Information disorder:

• Internet growth and rising risks:

          India is set  to surpass 900 million Internet users,

• Without strong policies the country will be highly vulnerable to disinformation
• India’s diverse political and social landscape makes it a prime target for:
• Manipulated narratives
• Voter influence
• Economic disruption

Beyond the politics it has widespread impact:

• Disinformation doesn’t just affect politics -it fuels:
• Consumer boycotts
• Economic conflicts
• International tension

Disinformation and political exploitation in India:

• National parties and politicians actively share deep fakes and false information
• Foreign threat: china has consistently spread disinformation about India since the 2017 doklam standoff

Recommended Measures to Combat Disinformation:

• Strengthening digital literacy programs and awareness campaigns.
• Using AI and algorithms to detect and counter misinformation in real-time.
• Collaboration between tech companies, governments, and civil society to enforce fact-checking mechanisms.
• Stronger regulatory policies to hold social media companies accountable.
• Transparency measures for online platforms to disclose funding and prevent foreign interference.
• Encouraging media literacy campaigns like Finland’s model of early education on misinformation.
  
  

 India’s Countermeasures:

• Government and private initiatives focus on fact-checking and transparency.
• The Reserve Bank of India’s financial literacy campaign helps people distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent information.
  More efforts are needed for a unified national strategy against disinformation threats.

Conclusion:

 This challenge goes beyond technology; it is a test of our shared democratic values and threatens our collective ability to uphold truth, unity, and equality. As the world’s largest democracy, India must set an example of diversity and resilience in a growingly polarised global digital world.

Practice mains question:    How does disinformation affect national security, public health, and the economy? Suggest technological and policy solutions to mitigate its impact.