'Fog Of War': Misinformation, Disinformation And Fake News
There is a war of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news alongside Operation Sindoor. As the Operation was launched and escalated, the info war too gathered momentum with more than half-a-dozen examples in less than two days. There is a need for sustained counter efforts on this front too. The night of the operation saw individual information activists calling out a stream of fake news and misinformation from across the border, including that its forces had “downed five fighter jets” of the Indian Air Force. It should not have fallen on individuals, however passionate they are about staying in the lane of truth.
Thankfully, India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB), the official news purveyor of the government, got into the act too. In a single day, its Fact Check division busted at least seven major “news” items coming from Pakistan that sought to dent India’s morale, such as a drone attack in Jalandhar that did not happen, the destruction of an Indian post “20 Raj Battalion”, which did not exist, a missile and a fidayeen attack that were not, a fabricated letter supposedly by India’s Chief of Army Staff and so on. Despite the fact check and clarifications, some of these “news” items became viral and spread panic or fear—the intended results.
Unfortunately, some in India too joined in this tamasha of untruths. Of particular concern are some television news channels and independent news influencers on social media, who ran hour-long bulletins, panel discussions, and reels that turned journalism into a joke. India’s largest private news network channel had pumped-up anchors and experts on an attack on Pakistani cities that was, of course, imaginary. The Modi government cannot be caught napping on this front, especially when it has been blocking news websites and credible social media handles and the PIB does fact-checks. Truth is at stake, and so is amity in every neighbourhood in India.
Information experts draw an important distinction between misinformation and disinformation. Misinformation is credible journalists or agencies making genuine errors, which are later corrected, while disinformation is a disingenuous mix of credible information and untruths intended to cause confusion or elicit sharp responses; propaganda is disinformation taken to an extreme with a political purpose. In a war-like situation, most governments are tempted to resort to propaganda, as in Pakistan. News, however credible otherwise, does fall into the trap of nationalism and supports the government rather than question it. This is bad enough.
What’s worse is the government looking the other way as multiple independent handles and established channels merrily spread disinformation to suit their agenda. A sharp crackdown on these, accompanied by regular official briefings broadcast live on all platforms, would go a long way in the facts and truth prevailing in the information war.
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