Bombay High Court strips PIB FCU of proposed statutory status
The PIB Fact-Check Unit (PIB FCU) just lost its proposed statutory status after the Bombay High Court struck down the relevant provision of the Information Technology Rules.
But the fight against fake news isn't slowing down. The government is now leaning on AI tools and teaming up with other groups.
Still, as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting put it, fact-checkers mostly work "in isolation," which makes things tricky.
PIB FCU reports 2,900+ fact-checks
designated in March 2024 as the Central Government's fact-check unit, PIB FCU now uses open-source tools and manual checks instead of legal authority.
To step things up, they're working on an AI chatbot for real-time fact checks and building a digital archive.
In April, the PIB Fact Check Unit reported publishing more than 2,900 fact-checks related to government schemes, fake notifications, manipulated videos, and AI-generated content.
The government indicated that wider consultations on a possible common code and graded penalties for fake news are likely to continue.