Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday, they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/bangladesh">Bangladesh</a> government which had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation.&nbsp;

Facebook, Bangladesh's most popular social network with an estimated 30 million users, said it had removed nine fake news pages "linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" which mimicked those of independent news outlets.

It also took down six accounts as they, along with the pages, were found "engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour." One of the accounts had 11,900 followers.&nbsp;

Spokesmen for the Bangladesh government including for the home and information ministers did not respond to calls seeking comment late on Thursday.&nbsp;

"This kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under our misrepresentation policy because we don`t want people or organisations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they`re doing," Facebook`s Head of Cybersecurity Policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in a statement.&nbsp;

Twitter said it had identified and suspended 15 accounts originating from Bangladesh for "engaging in coordinated platform manipulation."

"Based on our initial analysis, it appears that some of these accounts may have ties to state-sponsored actors," it added. The accounts had fewer than 50 followers, it said.&nbsp;

Facebook and other tech giants are under pressure to increase efforts to remove misleading or illegal content and ensure fake news is not uploaded and disseminated. Although Facebook has stepped up fact-checking, it still faces criticism that it is too slow to close rogue accounts.&nbsp;

Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for Bangladesh`s elite security force Rapid Action Battalion that has been tasked by the government with monitoring online content in the run-up to the December 30 polls, did not comment on the Facebook statement.&nbsp;

He said his team had arrested 30 people in recent weeks, some linked to the opposition, who posted "anti-government propaganda" by making clones of popular news websites.

Facebook`s move comes as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina`s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-ruling-awami-party-promises-growth-in-bid-for-third-term-in-election-manifesto-185295">Awami League is seeking to win a third term</a> in power amid accusations of carrying out attacks on opposition party candidates.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladeshi-opposition-pledges-to-remove-media-curbs-raise-pay-freeze-energy-prices-184897">opposition National Unity Front alliance</a> said on Wednesday that 14 of its candidates had been arrested and 1,500 injured in attacks this month by ruling party workers.&nbsp;

The Awami League has denied the allegations and accused the opposition of trying to disrupt a peaceful election environment. Hasina said on Wednesday her party wouldn`t use "unfair means" to win.

Under Hasina`s decade-long rule several people have been arrested for putting up Facebook posts critical of the government, including a prominent photographer released last month after over 100 days in prison.

Her government has taken steps to improve Bangladesh`s digital infrastructure, including making the internet more affordable, but it has kept tight control.

During mass student protests this August, the police`s cybercrime unit said it had scoured Facebook posts to crack down on what it called "fake news" being spread to provoke protests.

Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday, they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the Bangladesh government which had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation.

Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday, they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the Bangladesh government which had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation. Facebook, Bangladesh's most popular social network with an estimated 30 million users, said it had removed nine fake news pages "linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" which mimicked those of independent news outlets. It also took down six accounts as they, along with the pages, were found "engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour." One of the accounts had 11,900 followers. Spokesmen for the Bangladesh government including for the home and information ministers did not respond to calls seeking comment late on Thursday. "This kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under our misrepresentation policy because we don`t want people or organisations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they`re doing," Facebook`s Head of Cybersecurity Policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in a statement. Twitter said it had identified and suspended 15 accounts originating from Bangladesh for "engaging in coordinated platform manipulation." "Based on our initial analysis, it appears that some of these accounts may have ties to state-sponsored actors," it added. The accounts had fewer than 50 followers, it said. Facebook and other tech giants are under pressure to increase efforts to remove misleading or illegal content and ensure fake news is not uploaded and disseminated. Although Facebook has stepped up fact-checking, it still faces criticism that it is too slow to close rogue accounts. Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for Bangladesh`s elite security force Rapid Action Battalion that has been tasked by the government with monitoring online content in the run-up to the December 30 polls, did not comment on the Facebook statement. He said his team had arrested 30 people in recent weeks, some linked to the opposition, who posted "anti-government propaganda" by making clones of popular news websites. Facebook`s move comes as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina`s Awami League is seeking to win a third term in power amid accusations of carrying out attacks on opposition party candidates. The opposition National Unity Front alliance said on Wednesday that 14 of its candidates had been arrested and 1,500 injured in attacks this month by ruling party workers. The Awami League has denied the allegations and accused the opposition of trying to disrupt a peaceful election environment. Hasina said on Wednesday her party wouldn`t use "unfair means" to win. Under Hasina`s decade-long rule several people have been arrested for putting up Facebook posts critical of the government, including a prominent photographer released last month after over 100 days in prison. Her government has taken steps to improve Bangladesh`s digital infrastructure, including making the internet more affordable, but it has kept tight control. During mass student protests this August, the police`s cybercrime unit said it had scoured Facebook posts to crack down on what it called "fake news" being spread to provoke protests.

Bangladesh: Facebook and Twitter remove pages, accounts ahead of election

Social media platforms like <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/whatsapp-builds-system-to-comply-with-indias-payments-data-storage-norms-170379">Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp</a> and Twitter will soon deploy 'proactive, artificial intelligence (AI) based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women, Home Ministry officials said Friday.

Anyone found involved in disseminating <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/whatsapp-has-to-follow-indian-laws-says-ravi-shankar-prasad-after-meeting-ceo-160592">fake news creating social tension</a> or pornographic contents inciting sex crimes will be identified, name disclosed and prosecuted.

This was agreed upon after a series of meetings between representatives of the social media platforms and central government officials led by Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, a Home Ministry official said.

The social media sites have agreed to deploy 'proactive, AI-based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women. Such content will be automatically removed from their platforms, the official said.

There were problems in implementation or enforcement of directives given by law enforcement agencies under the IT Act and the Telegraph Act but the level of compliance has now gone up to 80 per cent from 60 per cent, while the time taken to take such action has gone down, the official said.

The compliance period has come down from 72 hours to 24 hours and it was agreed that if a case is made out in any incident, the person will be identified, name disclosed and he/she will be prosecuted, the official said.

The social media platforms have engaged NGOs working in the field and appointed grievance redressal cell for prompt action.

Earlier, the government had said social media sites were "slow" in removing objectionable or unlawful content which allegedly aided the spread of hate messages, rumours inciting violence and crimes against women and they were warned of strict legal action if they failed to comply with the directives of law enforcement agencies.

In the recent past, some objectionable content which could potentially disrupt public peace or law and order and incite criminal offences, including communal violence, have been posted on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube.

Some of these cases were brought to the notice of the Home Ministry. Action was taken for removal of such content after the intervention of the ministry and the Delhi Police.

During the meetings, specific instances of legal requisitions were shown where the Delhi Police had sought removal of content openly inciting violence but the social platforms' response had been neither "full nor timely", another official said.

Specific legal notices issued by the Delhi Police seeking investigation-related information were also shared with them.

During the series of meetings with all social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter, the government had sensitised them about preventive and other actions to remove unlawful content immediately, another official said.

Gauba had held the meetings in June and October. A series of meetings were conducted by senior officers of the Home Ministry, Delhi Police and police officers of other states to sensitise the country representatives of social media platforms about the gravity of unlawful or objectionable content posted on their platforms, and their possible consequences.

A number of cases have come to the fore in the recent past where social media platforms were used to spread hate messages and rumours inciting violence, including against women, but Internet giants - most of them headquartered outside India - have been allegedly resisting sharing of customer details and message trails citing privacy issues.

However, some social media firms have said they are taking necessary steps to stop misuse of their platforms for the spread of fake news, and rumours and hate messages. &nbsp;

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter will soon deploy 'proactive, artificial intelligence (AI) based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women, Home Ministry officials said Friday.

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter will soon deploy 'proactive, artificial intelligence (AI) based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women, Home Ministry officials said Friday. Anyone found involved in disseminating fake news creating social tension or pornographic contents inciting sex crimes will be identified, name disclosed and prosecuted. This was agreed upon after a series of meetings between representatives of the social media platforms and central government officials led by Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, a Home Ministry official said. The social media sites have agreed to deploy 'proactive, AI-based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women. Such content will be automatically removed from their platforms, the official said. There were problems in implementation or enforcement of directives given by law enforcement agencies under the IT Act and the Telegraph Act but the level of compliance has now gone up to 80 per cent from 60 per cent, while the time taken to take such action has gone down, the official said. The compliance period has come down from 72 hours to 24 hours and it was agreed that if a case is made out in any incident, the person will be identified, name disclosed and he/she will be prosecuted, the official said. The social media platforms have engaged NGOs working in the field and appointed grievance redressal cell for prompt action. Earlier, the government had said social media sites were "slow" in removing objectionable or unlawful content which allegedly aided the spread of hate messages, rumours inciting violence and crimes against women and they were warned of strict legal action if they failed to comply with the directives of law enforcement agencies. In the recent past, some objectionable content which could potentially disrupt public peace or law and order and incite criminal offences, including communal violence, have been posted on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube. Some of these cases were brought to the notice of the Home Ministry. Action was taken for removal of such content after the intervention of the ministry and the Delhi Police. During the meetings, specific instances of legal requisitions were shown where the Delhi Police had sought removal of content openly inciting violence but the social platforms' response had been neither "full nor timely", another official said. Specific legal notices issued by the Delhi Police seeking investigation-related information were also shared with them. During the series of meetings with all social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter, the government had sensitised them about preventive and other actions to remove unlawful content immediately, another official said. Gauba had held the meetings in June and October. A series of meetings were conducted by senior officers of the Home Ministry, Delhi Police and police officers of other states to sensitise the country representatives of social media platforms about the gravity of unlawful or objectionable content posted on their platforms, and their possible consequences. A number of cases have come to the fore in the recent past where social media platforms were used to spread hate messages and rumours inciting violence, including against women, but Internet giants - most of them headquartered outside India - have been allegedly resisting sharing of customer details and message trails citing privacy issues. However, some social media firms have said they are taking necessary steps to stop misuse of their platforms for the spread of fake news, and rumours and hate messages.

Social media platforms to deploy AI to combat fake news: Home ministry official

Indian govt meets WhatsApp to track fake news

President Donald Trump slammed American broadcast network&nbsp;CNN for portraying the US in an "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cnn-sues-us-president-donald-trump-top-white-house-aides-177129">unfair and false way</a>" to the rest of the world and suggested launching a "Worldwide Network" to counter CNN`s reporting by showing another view on the situation in the country.

Sputnik on Monday reported that the American broadcast network and President Trump have long been engaged in a war of words, with the latter accusing the news network of spreading "fake news", while CNN urges Trump to stop vilifying the media.

The president did not elaborate in his official Twitter account on November 26, what this new worldwide network will look like and how will it be different from the Voice of America, funded by the US government and broadcasting to the rest of the world.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
....and false way. Something has to be done, including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1067142820388052993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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According to Sputnik, Trump`s suggestion has spurred a wide range of reactions across social media.

A lot of people supported the president`s initiative, confirming that CNN`s reporting of the events in the US can often shape the opinion of people abroad.

Some even alleged that CNN actually poses a real threat to the US with its news and urged Trump to take action.

Not all netizens were positive about Trump`s idea, noting it is strikingly similar to practices of dictatorships, Sputnik mentioned in its reports.

Others noted that watching CNN abroad was still better than watching Fox News.

One Twitterian reminded Trump that the US already has its `state propaganda` airing internationally in 40 languages.

The US president and CNN have been engaged in a long-running feud for a long time now. Trump has slammed the news network on multiple occasions over allegedly spreading `fake news`, claiming it has led to a sharp decline in CNN`s domestic ratings.

The White House recently revoked a press pass for CNN reporter Jim Acosta, after an incident, where he refused to give up the microphone during a Trump press conference, engaging in a verbal feud with the US president. The news network filed a suit against the Trump administration, demanding the restoration of Acosta`s pass.

CNN, in turn, has accused Trump of `continued attacks on the media` and of allegedly inciting violence against journalists by calling media outlets `the enemy of the people`.

President Donald Trump slammed American broadcast network CNN for portraying the US in an "unfair and false way" to the rest of the world and suggested launching a "Worldwide Network" to counter CNN`s reporting by showing another view on the situation in the country.

President Donald Trump slammed American broadcast network CNN for portraying the US in an "unfair and false way" to the rest of the world and suggested launching a "Worldwide Network" to counter CNN`s reporting by showing another view on the situation in the country. Sputnik on Monday reported that the American broadcast network and President Trump have long been engaged in a war of words, with the latter accusing the news network of spreading "fake news", while CNN urges Trump to stop vilifying the media. The president did not elaborate in his official Twitter account on November 26, what this new worldwide network will look like and how will it be different from the Voice of America, funded by the US government and broadcasting to the rest of the world. ....and false way. Something has to be done, including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2018 × According to Sputnik, Trump`s suggestion has spurred a wide range of reactions across social media. A lot of people supported the president`s initiative, confirming that CNN`s reporting of the events in the US can often shape the opinion of people abroad. Some even alleged that CNN actually poses a real threat to the US with its news and urged Trump to take action. Not all netizens were positive about Trump`s idea, noting it is strikingly similar to practices of dictatorships, Sputnik mentioned in its reports. Others noted that watching CNN abroad was still better than watching Fox News. One Twitterian reminded Trump that the US already has its `state propaganda` airing internationally in 40 languages. The US president and CNN have been engaged in a long-running feud for a long time now. Trump has slammed the news network on multiple occasions over allegedly spreading `fake news`, claiming it has led to a sharp decline in CNN`s domestic ratings. The White House recently revoked a press pass for CNN reporter Jim Acosta, after an incident, where he refused to give up the microphone during a Trump press conference, engaging in a verbal feud with the US president. The news network filed a suit against the Trump administration, demanding the restoration of Acosta`s pass. CNN, in turn, has accused Trump of `continued attacks on the media` and of allegedly inciting violence against journalists by calling media outlets `the enemy of the people`.

To counter CNN's 'unfair' reporting, Trump suggests creating a 'Worldwide Network'

France's smart regulation of Facebook to combat hate speech

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-polls-republican-martha-mcsally-loses-arizona-senate-seat-176966">US midterm polls: Republican Martha McSally loses Arizona Senate seat</a>

In a hotly contested ballot, Sinema won by taking a slice of Republican voters including women. The Senate seat was vacated by Republican Jeff Flake, a Trump critic.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/there-will-never-be-another-stan-lee-tributes-pour-in-for-the-legend-behind-marvel-176968">'There will never be another Stan Lee'; tributes pour in for the legend behind Marvel</a>

The superheroes who were all created by Lee mourned his death. Actors like Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Ryan Reynolds- all paid their respect to Lee.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/natural-gas-to-overtake-coal-as-worlds-second-largest-energy-source-iea-176956">Natural gas to overtake coal as </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/natural-gas-to-overtake-coal-as-worlds-second-largest-energy-source-iea-176956">world's</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/natural-gas-to-overtake-coal-as-worlds-second-largest-energy-source-iea-176956"> second largest energy source: IEA</a>

The Paris-based IEA said in its World Energy Outlook 2018 that energy demand would grow by more than a quarter between 2017 and 2040 assuming more efficient use of energy - but would rise by twice that much without such improvements.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/djokovic-backs-federer-in-preferential-treatment-row-176953">Djokovic backs Federer in preferential treatment row</a>

Benneteau was particularly referring to the Australian Open where he said 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer played "12 or 13" of his 14 matches at Melbourne in the past two years at night, so avoiding the often scorching temperatures.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-quality-reaches-hazardous-level-in-delhi-and-ncr-176971">Air quality reaches 'hazardous' level in Delhi's Anand Vihar</a>

The air quality in the national capital is presently in the 'hazardous' category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall Air Quality Index was recorded at 449 at Anand Vihar this morning.

US midterm polls: Republican Martha McSally loses Arizona Senate seat In a hotly contested ballot, Sinema won by taking a slice of Republican voters including women.

US midterm polls: Republican Martha McSally loses Arizona Senate seat In a hotly contested ballot, Sinema won by taking a slice of Republican voters including women. The Senate seat was vacated by Republican Jeff Flake, a Trump critic. 'There will never be another Stan Lee'; tributes pour in for the legend behind Marvel The superheroes who were all created by Lee mourned his death. Actors like Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Ryan Reynolds- all paid their respect to Lee. Natural gas to overtake coal as world's second largest energy source: IEA The Paris-based IEA said in its World Energy Outlook 2018 that energy demand would grow by more than a quarter between 2017 and 2040 assuming more efficient use of energy - but would rise by twice that much without such improvements. Djokovic backs Federer in preferential treatment row Benneteau was particularly referring to the Australian Open where he said 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer played "12 or 13" of his 14 matches at Melbourne in the past two years at night, so avoiding the often scorching temperatures. Air quality reaches 'hazardous' level in Delhi's Anand Vihar The air quality in the national capital is presently in the 'hazardous' category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall Air Quality Index was recorded at 449 at Anand Vihar this morning.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Gujarat government is mulling a law to curb the spread of fake news and information on social media, state Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel noted on Monday.

Patel stated that the spread of fake news and misuse of social media will harm the country's unity, peace and security.&nbsp;

"Such misuse of social media would harm the country's unity, peace and security. Inciting conflicts between various castes and communities, spreading religious rumours or about any person is not good," Patel said.

"It is necessary to stop such practice (of spreading fake news and information). While some laws are being enacted (at the Centre), the Gujarat government is also mulling to enact a law in this regard," he added.

The minister further informed that the state government is taking time to formulate such a law to ensure that the citizens do not see it as "censorship" imposed by the government.

"Discussions (in the government) are going on for the last three-four months on how the law can be implemented. People should not feel we are imposing censorship on them," Patel told media.

Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nationalism-behind-spread-of-fake-news-in-india-bbc-report-176848">a BBC report</a> on Monday stated that people in India share fake news stories with nationalistic messages for "nation-building" purposes without any attempt at fact-checking.

The findings come from extensive research in India, Kenya, and Nigeria into the way ordinary citizens engage with and spread fake news, the British public broadcaster said.

According to the report, there is also an overlap of fake news sources on Twitter and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support networks.

The report, analysing the spread of fake news from the perspective of ordinary citizens, suggests an "overlap between fake news and pro-Modi political activity" in India.

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

Gujarat government is mulling a law to curb the spread of fake news and information on social media, state Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel noted on Monday. Patel stated that the spread of fake news and misuse of social media will harm the country's unity, peace and security.

Gujarat government is mulling a law to curb the spread of fake news and information on social media, state Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel noted on Monday. Patel stated that the spread of fake news and misuse of social media will harm the country's unity, peace and security. "Such misuse of social media would harm the country's unity, peace and security. Inciting conflicts between various castes and communities, spreading religious rumours or about any person is not good," Patel said. "It is necessary to stop such practice (of spreading fake news and information). While some laws are being enacted (at the Centre), the Gujarat government is also mulling to enact a law in this regard," he added. The minister further informed that the state government is taking time to formulate such a law to ensure that the citizens do not see it as "censorship" imposed by the government. "Discussions (in the government) are going on for the last three-four months on how the law can be implemented. People should not feel we are imposing censorship on them," Patel told media. Meanwhile, a BBC report on Monday stated that people in India share fake news stories with nationalistic messages for "nation-building" purposes without any attempt at fact-checking. The findings come from extensive research in India, Kenya, and Nigeria into the way ordinary citizens engage with and spread fake news, the British public broadcaster said. According to the report, there is also an overlap of fake news sources on Twitter and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support networks. The report, analysing the spread of fake news from the perspective of ordinary citizens, suggests an "overlap between fake news and pro-Modi political activity" in India. (With inputs from PTI)

Gujarat govt mulling law to curb fake news on social media: Deputy CM Nitin Patel

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/retail-inflation-cools-down-to-331-in-october-from-370-in-september-176891">Retail inflation cools to 3.31% in October, was at 3.70% in September</a>

Retail inflation eased to 3.31 per cent in October from 3.70 per cent which was recorded in September, news agency ANI reported on Monday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chhattisgarh-elections-voter-turnout-recorded-at-close-to-60-as-1st-phase-of-polling-ends-176901">Chhattisgarh elections: Voter turnout recorded at 70% </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chhattisgarh-elections-voter-turnout-recorded-at-close-to-60-as-1st-phase-of-polling-ends-176901">as</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chhattisgarh-elections-voter-turnout-recorded-at-close-to-60-as-1st-phase-of-polling-ends-176901"> 1st phase of polling ends</a>

Voting has ended in the 18 seats that went to the polls in Chhattisgarh today. Voter turnout was recorded at 70 per cent.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/metoo-mj-akbar-a-thorough-gentleman-woman-journalist-says-in-court-176880">#MeToo: MJ Akbar 'a thorough gentleman', woman journalist says in court</a>

A woman journalist and former colleague of MJ Akbar's came to his defence Monday, telling a Delhi court that Akbar was "a thorough journalist".&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nationalism-behind-spread-of-fake-news-in-india-bbc-report-176848">Nationalism behind </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nationalism-behind-spread-of-fake-news-in-india-bbc-report-176848">spread</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nationalism-behind-spread-of-fake-news-in-india-bbc-report-176848"> of fake news in India: BBC report</a>

People in India share fake news stories with nationalistic messages for "nation building" purposes without any attempt at fact-checking, a BBC report released Monday said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/im-suffocating-take-this-bag-off-my-head-jamal-khashoggis-last-words-176839">I'm suffocating... take this bag off my head: Jamal Khashoggi's last words</a>

A Turkish newspaper has said Jamal Khashoggi's last words were: "I'm suffocating... take this bag off my head, I'm claustrophobic."&nbsp;

Retail inflation cools to 3.31% in October, was at 3.70% in September Retail inflation eased to 3.31 per cent in October from 3.70 per cent which was recorded in September, news agency ANI reported on Monday.

Retail inflation cools to 3.31% in October, was at 3.70% in September Retail inflation eased to 3.31 per cent in October from 3.70 per cent which was recorded in September, news agency ANI reported on Monday. Chhattisgarh elections: Voter turnout recorded at 70% as 1st phase of polling ends Voting has ended in the 18 seats that went to the polls in Chhattisgarh today. Voter turnout was recorded at 70 per cent. #MeToo: MJ Akbar 'a thorough gentleman', woman journalist says in court A woman journalist and former colleague of MJ Akbar's came to his defence Monday, telling a Delhi court that Akbar was "a thorough journalist". Nationalism behind spread of fake news in India: BBC report People in India share fake news stories with nationalistic messages for "nation building" purposes without any attempt at fact-checking, a BBC report released Monday said. I'm suffocating... take this bag off my head: Jamal Khashoggi's last words A Turkish newspaper has said Jamal Khashoggi's last words were: "I'm suffocating... take this bag off my head, I'm claustrophobic."

Ahead of elections in the world's largest democracy, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Monday paid his maiden visit to India where he vowed to check spread of fake news but said there is no "one fix" solution for the "multi-variable" problem.

Twitter -- which counts India among its priority markets -- has a large number of politicians in the country on its platform, who engage with residents and extensively use it around elections.

"In a number of conversations, it's become more important that we scope the problem as tightly as possible because fake news or misinformation as a category is way too big," he said addressing a townhall at the IIT-Delhi.

He added that if certain content is found to be misleading, it is the company's job to ensure that such information is picked out and prevented from spreading.

"...If the intent (of the content) is to mislead, we need to understand and pick out this information and then it's our job to ensure it doesn't spread and our job is to ensure it doesn't gain the impressions beyond its given reach," he said.

Dorsey, who met Congress President Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day, pointed out that it was also important to understand the intent and context of the information to address the issue of fake news and misinformation.

"This is a multi-variable problem and there is not going to be one fix, it's like security. No one can build a perfect lock that no one can break," he said, adding that like with security, the company will have to stay ahead of those spreading misinformation.

Dorsey said Artificial Intelligence could help build a solution that may be near perfect.

Social media firms have been facing the menace of rumours and fake news floating on their platforms. Organisations like Facebook and WhatsApp have taken a number of steps, including sensitisation programmes among users across the country.

More recently, WhatsApp - which drew flak from the government over the circulation of certain fake and sinister messages that incited mob-fury in different parts of the country - has initiated measures to curb the circulation of misinformation on its platform.

Dorsey cited the example of a tweet on its platform, posted ahead of the 2016 Presidential elections in the US, that said voters could register themselves on the shortcode provided in the tweet.

In this case, the number of tweets flagging the said content as fake was 10 times that the original message.

The top executive, who arrived in India last week tweeted: "(my first time here after a lifetime of wanting to experience it). He visited Jaipur and also met the Dalai Lama, called him an "amazing teacher".

Twitter Monday also launched its '#PowerOf18' initiative aimed at encouraging Indian youth to contribute to public debate and participate in civic engagement in the upcoming election season.

According to a survey conducted by Twitter India, voting rights emerged as the top response when asked what people would consider the power of turning 18 years old.

The research, conducted with over 3,600 respondents aged 18-30-year-olds, found 94 per cent respondents indicating that they would vote in the upcoming elections, while 87 per cent said they believed that voting made them a responsible citizen.

About 53 per cent said they are voting because they want to make a difference.

The study also pointed towards the increasing importance of social media for information consumption as 69 per cent of Twitter users surveyed said they always stay up to date with political news and events versus 44 per cent of non-Twitter users.

Ahead of elections in the world's largest democracy, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Monday paid his maiden visit to India where he vowed to check spread of fake news but said there is no "one fix" solution for the "multi-variable" problem.

Ahead of elections in the world's largest democracy, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Monday paid his maiden visit to India where he vowed to check spread of fake news but said there is no "one fix" solution for the "multi-variable" problem. Twitter -- which counts India among its priority markets -- has a large number of politicians in the country on its platform, who engage with residents and extensively use it around elections. "In a number of conversations, it's become more important that we scope the problem as tightly as possible because fake news or misinformation as a category is way too big," he said addressing a townhall at the IIT-Delhi. He added that if certain content is found to be misleading, it is the company's job to ensure that such information is picked out and prevented from spreading. "...If the intent (of the content) is to mislead, we need to understand and pick out this information and then it's our job to ensure it doesn't spread and our job is to ensure it doesn't gain the impressions beyond its given reach," he said. Dorsey, who met Congress President Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day, pointed out that it was also important to understand the intent and context of the information to address the issue of fake news and misinformation. "This is a multi-variable problem and there is not going to be one fix, it's like security. No one can build a perfect lock that no one can break," he said, adding that like with security, the company will have to stay ahead of those spreading misinformation. Dorsey said Artificial Intelligence could help build a solution that may be near perfect. Social media firms have been facing the menace of rumours and fake news floating on their platforms. Organisations like Facebook and WhatsApp have taken a number of steps, including sensitisation programmes among users across the country. More recently, WhatsApp - which drew flak from the government over the circulation of certain fake and sinister messages that incited mob-fury in different parts of the country - has initiated measures to curb the circulation of misinformation on its platform. Dorsey cited the example of a tweet on its platform, posted ahead of the 2016 Presidential elections in the US, that said voters could register themselves on the shortcode provided in the tweet. In this case, the number of tweets flagging the said content as fake was 10 times that the original message. The top executive, who arrived in India last week tweeted: "(my first time here after a lifetime of wanting to experience it). He visited Jaipur and also met the Dalai Lama, called him an "amazing teacher". Twitter Monday also launched its '#PowerOf18' initiative aimed at encouraging Indian youth to contribute to public debate and participate in civic engagement in the upcoming election season. According to a survey conducted by Twitter India, voting rights emerged as the top response when asked what people would consider the power of turning 18 years old. The research, conducted with over 3,600 respondents aged 18-30-year-olds, found 94 per cent respondents indicating that they would vote in the upcoming elections, while 87 per cent said they believed that voting made them a responsible citizen. About 53 per cent said they are voting because they want to make a difference. The study also pointed towards the increasing importance of social media for information consumption as 69 per cent of Twitter users surveyed said they always stay up to date with political news and events versus 44 per cent of non-Twitter users.

Fake news a multi-variable problem, there is no 'one fix': Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in India

US law enforcement and intelligence agencies said on the eve of crucial US midterm voting they had no indication of efforts to disrupt election infrastructure, but that Americans should be wary of Russian attempts to spread fake news.

The announcement came days after a new study found that misinformation on social media was spreading at a greater rate than during the run-up to the 2016 presidential vote, which Russia is accused of manipulating through a vast propaganda campaign in favour of Donald Trump, the eventual winner.

"At this time we have no indication of compromise of our nation's election infrastructure that would prevent voting, change vote counts, or disrupt the ability to tally votes," said a joint statement by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

"But Americans should be aware that foreign actors -- and Russia in particular -- continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord," it continued, without specifying whether Moscow was backing Trump's Republicans or opposition Democrats.

"They can do this by spreading false information about political processes and candidates, lying about their own interference activities, disseminating propaganda on social media, and through other tactics. The American public can mitigate these efforts by remaining informed, reporting suspicious activity and being vigilant consumers of information," it said.

Oxford Internet Institute researchers, in a study published Thursday, said that despite an aggressive crackdown by social media firms, so-called "junk news" is spreading at a greater rate than in 2016 on social media ahead of the US midterm elections.

"We found that the proportion of junk news circulating over social media has increased in the US since 2016, with users sharing higher proportions of junk news than links to professional content over all," the report said.

Twitter meanwhile said Saturday it deleted a "series of accounts" that attempted to share disinformation without giving a number.&nbsp;

US law enforcement and intelligence agencies said on the eve of crucial US midterm voting they had no indication of efforts to disrupt election infrastructure, but that Americans should be wary of Russian attempts to spread fake news.

US law enforcement and intelligence agencies said on the eve of crucial US midterm voting they had no indication of efforts to disrupt election infrastructure, but that Americans should be wary of Russian attempts to spread fake news. The announcement came days after a new study found that misinformation on social media was spreading at a greater rate than during the run-up to the 2016 presidential vote, which Russia is accused of manipulating through a vast propaganda campaign in favour of Donald Trump, the eventual winner. "At this time we have no indication of compromise of our nation's election infrastructure that would prevent voting, change vote counts, or disrupt the ability to tally votes," said a joint statement by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and FBI Director Christopher Wray. "But Americans should be aware that foreign actors -- and Russia in particular -- continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord," it continued, without specifying whether Moscow was backing Trump's Republicans or opposition Democrats. "They can do this by spreading false information about political processes and candidates, lying about their own interference activities, disseminating propaganda on social media, and through other tactics. The American public can mitigate these efforts by remaining informed, reporting suspicious activity and being vigilant consumers of information," it said. Oxford Internet Institute researchers, in a study published Thursday, said that despite an aggressive crackdown by social media firms, so-called "junk news" is spreading at a greater rate than in 2016 on social media ahead of the US midterm elections. "We found that the proportion of junk news circulating over social media has increased in the US since 2016, with users sharing higher proportions of junk news than links to professional content over all," the report said. Twitter meanwhile said Saturday it deleted a "series of accounts" that attempted to share disinformation without giving a number.

Before midterms, US warns voters to be wary of Russian fake news

On a hot morning in India's tourist mecca of Jaipur, an open truck painted in the signature lime-green colours of Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service pulls into a dusty lane, where five men spill out and begin to perform a skit.

The event is part of a major grassroots effort by WhatsApp to battle fake news, which has triggered numerous lynchings in a country where 200 million people use the service, more than anywhere else in the world.

The actors soon draw a crowd as the play unveils how spreading misinformation online can stir up mob violence, especially in the countryside, where caste and religious prejudices run deep.

"Our society is better than theirs and that's why you should hate them," says one, citing one example of an incendiary text circulating on WhatsApp in India. "If you are truly one of us, spread this message." Such texts, pictures and videos aim to sow discord, warns another, as the viewers in the capital of India's western desert state of Rajasthan are then told how to identify forwarded messages and use WhatsApp responsibly.

The drive follows intense government pressure for both Facebook and WhatsApp to fight fake news and rumour-mongering that have led to more than 30 deaths in about 70 lynching attempts since Jan. 2017, data portal IndiaSpend says.

The campaign is not entirely altruistic. It is being run in conjunction with Reliance Jio, the fast-growing telecom carrier controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani that recently made WhatsApp available on its $20 JioPhone.

Instructions on how to install and use the app on the JioPhone, which has connected tens of millions of low-income Indians to the Internet for the first time, are also a part of the 10-city roadshow.

Hundreds of people from WhatsApp and Jio are helping drive the campaign, with some WhatsApp employees having flown in from California, a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, adding that the company did not reveal financial details. A source familiar with the matter said the costs were mostly being paid by WhatsApp.

POLITICAL HEAT

WhatsApp's efforts to battle fake news in India include a limit on forwarded messages in a market where more users pass around messages, photographs and videos than any other.

It has launched newspaper and radio campaigns and tied up with Delhi-based non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation to develop a digital literacy curriculum for India.

The company is also training police and law enforcement officials to use WhatsApp in helping them do their jobs.

"Our goal is to drive one of the largest coordinated public education efforts on misinformation to date anywhere in the world," WhatsApp said.

India's technology minister has demanded the company do more, including working out how to trace the origin of "sinister" messages. But WhatsApp says it will not take such steps, which would require it to weaken encryption and other privacy protections. It is not clear how much the public information campaigns will change people's behaviour. But in Jaipur, at least some of the messages seem to be getting through.

"I learnt how to quit a WhatsApp group created by strangers," said Bhawani Singh Rathore, a 35-year-old teacher, who began using the service just months ago and attended.

"And I also learned how to identify a forwarded message and to not send it ahead without checking its accuracy," he told Reuters.

On a hot morning in India's tourist mecca of Jaipur, an open truck painted in the signature lime-green colours of Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service pulls into a dusty lane, where five men spill out and begin to perform a skit.

On a hot morning in India's tourist mecca of Jaipur, an open truck painted in the signature lime-green colours of Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service pulls into a dusty lane, where five men spill out and begin to perform a skit. The event is part of a major grassroots effort by WhatsApp to battle fake news, which has triggered numerous lynchings in a country where 200 million people use the service, more than anywhere else in the world. The actors soon draw a crowd as the play unveils how spreading misinformation online can stir up mob violence, especially in the countryside, where caste and religious prejudices run deep. "Our society is better than theirs and that's why you should hate them," says one, citing one example of an incendiary text circulating on WhatsApp in India. "If you are truly one of us, spread this message." Such texts, pictures and videos aim to sow discord, warns another, as the viewers in the capital of India's western desert state of Rajasthan are then told how to identify forwarded messages and use WhatsApp responsibly. The drive follows intense government pressure for both Facebook and WhatsApp to fight fake news and rumour-mongering that have led to more than 30 deaths in about 70 lynching attempts since Jan. 2017, data portal IndiaSpend says. The campaign is not entirely altruistic. It is being run in conjunction with Reliance Jio, the fast-growing telecom carrier controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani that recently made WhatsApp available on its $20 JioPhone. Instructions on how to install and use the app on the JioPhone, which has connected tens of millions of low-income Indians to the Internet for the first time, are also a part of the 10-city roadshow. Hundreds of people from WhatsApp and Jio are helping drive the campaign, with some WhatsApp employees having flown in from California, a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, adding that the company did not reveal financial details. A source familiar with the matter said the costs were mostly being paid by WhatsApp. POLITICAL HEAT WhatsApp's efforts to battle fake news in India include a limit on forwarded messages in a market where more users pass around messages, photographs and videos than any other. It has launched newspaper and radio campaigns and tied up with Delhi-based non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation to develop a digital literacy curriculum for India. The company is also training police and law enforcement officials to use WhatsApp in helping them do their jobs. "Our goal is to drive one of the largest coordinated public education efforts on misinformation to date anywhere in the world," WhatsApp said. India's technology minister has demanded the company do more, including working out how to trace the origin of "sinister" messages. But WhatsApp says it will not take such steps, which would require it to weaken encryption and other privacy protections. It is not clear how much the public information campaigns will change people's behaviour. But in Jaipur, at least some of the messages seem to be getting through. "I learnt how to quit a WhatsApp group created by strangers," said Bhawani Singh Rathore, a 35-year-old teacher, who began using the service just months ago and attended. "And I also learned how to identify a forwarded message and to not send it ahead without checking its accuracy," he told Reuters.

WhatsApp hits the road with skits to stamp out fake news in India

Indonesia has cracked down on "fake news" about its deadly quake-tsunami disaster, with police arresting nine people for spreading hoaxes in a bid to prevent further panic spreading among survivors.

False reports claiming that another huge quake was about to hit Sulawesi island -- which is already reeling from last Friday's double tragedy that has killed over 1,400 people -- have circulated online in recent days.&nbsp;

Another Facebook post used a photo of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami aftermath to depict what it claimed was a scene from the seaside city of Palu.

A caption read: "Those who share this post will be spared from calamities".

Setyo Wasisto, Indonesia's national police spokesman, told Kompas TV on Thursday that nine people had been arrested on suspicion of spreading false news. Most of the contents were posted to Facebook, he added.

Indonesia has a long-standing problem with internet hoaxes, and fake news is never far behind after a disaster.

The country has one of the world's biggest online audiences, with a population of 260 million people and one of the world's highest social media usage rates.

"If anyone predicts another massive earthquake or tsunami, it's fake news," said Daryono, head of the geophysics agency's quake and tsunami information centre, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

"If you spread this kind of information, you're just going to create more suffering and confusion for people."

Teams from Indonesia's communications ministry and disaster agency have taken to Twitter and other social media to debunk fake claims in recent days.

Communication and Information Ministry spokesman Ferdinandus Setu told AFP a 70-strong team was working 24 hours a day on fake reports about disaster, including a claim that Palu's mayor was among the dead.

"We've confirmed that the mayor is still alive and healthy," Setu said.

Rampant hoaxes&nbsp;

Once the team debunks the contents, the ministry announces the findings through regular press releases and also gives the findings to the police.

The disaster agency's efforts are being fronted by spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who has won admirers for battling to update journalists around the clock despite suffering from terminal cancer.

"I apologise if I cannot respond to every question from journalists, my friends. If I was healthy, I would surely do it no matter what," Nugroho told reporters this week, even as he continues to hold daily press briefings, take journalists' calls and communicate on social media.

Hoaxes were also rampant during a quake disaster on the island of Lombok, next to Bali, this summer.

Indonesian police have clamped down on fake news and online hate speech more broadly in recent months, ahead of next year's presidential election.&nbsp;

President Joko Widodo -- who has battled false internet claims that he is a communist -- inaugurated a new cyber security agency in January.

The following month, the communications ministry announced it was deploying new software to identify fake news websites.

Members of the Muslim Cyber Army (MCA) -- a cluster of loosely connected groups accused of using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to attack the government and stoke religious extremism -- have been rounded up.

Some 130 million Indonesians -- about half the population -- spend an average of nearly three-and-a-half hours a day on social media, one of the highest rates in the world, according to data from London-based creative agency We Are Social and social media management platform Hootsuite.

The country was also late to introduce digital literacy programmes, experts say.

Indonesia has cracked down on "fake news" about its deadly quake-tsunami disaster, with police arresting nine people for spreading hoaxes in a bid to prevent further panic spreading among survivors.

Indonesia has cracked down on "fake news" about its deadly quake-tsunami disaster, with police arresting nine people for spreading hoaxes in a bid to prevent further panic spreading among survivors. False reports claiming that another huge quake was about to hit Sulawesi island -- which is already reeling from last Friday's double tragedy that has killed over 1,400 people -- have circulated online in recent days. Another Facebook post used a photo of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami aftermath to depict what it claimed was a scene from the seaside city of Palu. A caption read: "Those who share this post will be spared from calamities". Setyo Wasisto, Indonesia's national police spokesman, told Kompas TV on Thursday that nine people had been arrested on suspicion of spreading false news. Most of the contents were posted to Facebook, he added. Indonesia has a long-standing problem with internet hoaxes, and fake news is never far behind after a disaster. The country has one of the world's biggest online audiences, with a population of 260 million people and one of the world's highest social media usage rates. "If anyone predicts another massive earthquake or tsunami, it's fake news," said Daryono, head of the geophysics agency's quake and tsunami information centre, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "If you spread this kind of information, you're just going to create more suffering and confusion for people." Teams from Indonesia's communications ministry and disaster agency have taken to Twitter and other social media to debunk fake claims in recent days. Communication and Information Ministry spokesman Ferdinandus Setu told AFP a 70-strong team was working 24 hours a day on fake reports about disaster, including a claim that Palu's mayor was among the dead. "We've confirmed that the mayor is still alive and healthy," Setu said. Rampant hoaxes Once the team debunks the contents, the ministry announces the findings through regular press releases and also gives the findings to the police. The disaster agency's efforts are being fronted by spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who has won admirers for battling to update journalists around the clock despite suffering from terminal cancer. "I apologise if I cannot respond to every question from journalists, my friends. If I was healthy, I would surely do it no matter what," Nugroho told reporters this week, even as he continues to hold daily press briefings, take journalists' calls and communicate on social media. Hoaxes were also rampant during a quake disaster on the island of Lombok, next to Bali, this summer. Indonesian police have clamped down on fake news and online hate speech more broadly in recent months, ahead of next year's presidential election. President Joko Widodo -- who has battled false internet claims that he is a communist -- inaugurated a new cyber security agency in January. The following month, the communications ministry announced it was deploying new software to identify fake news websites. Members of the Muslim Cyber Army (MCA) -- a cluster of loosely connected groups accused of using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to attack the government and stoke religious extremism -- have been rounded up. Some 130 million Indonesians -- about half the population -- spend an average of nearly three-and-a-half hours a day on social media, one of the highest rates in the world, according to data from London-based creative agency We Are Social and social media management platform Hootsuite. The country was also late to introduce digital literacy programmes, experts say.

Indonesia battles fake news after quake-tsunami disaster

Artists melted a ton of ice spelling out the word "truth" in the shadow of the US Capitol on Saturday, in a poetic protest at the caustic state of politics in the era of "fake news" under President Donald Trump.

"Truth Be Told," measuring 10 feet wide by seven feet tall, is the sixth sculpture in the "Melted Away" series launched in 2006 by artist duo LigoranoReese.

Marshall Reese and Nora Ligorano, both 62 years old, have collaborated on art projects for nearly four decades, including woven fiber optic mesh, video and new media in clocks, mirrors and books.

Their other temporary monuments shaped out of ice have included the words "democracy," "economy," "middle class," "the future" and "the American dream."

The artists decided to take their call for more transparency and honesty to Washington "because ice is a material that disappears, it's an urgent moment and truth is really melting," Ligorano told AFP, as crowds gathered around the sculpture.

"It's speaking truth to power."

Young and old alike touched the sculpture and snapped photographs under sunny skies.

A frozen T collapsed first. The first T and R then collapsed against one another in a big crash, leaving only "UH" for a moment until those letters, too, vanished.

The artists collaborate with locals for their projects and here used sculptors at Ice Lab in nearby Baltimore to carve into the ice.

"It's the first time I've walked into one of these places and was greeted by a woman who was dressed as an Eskimo," Ligorano said of the sculpture's ice carver.

The work and its hours-long melting process was streamed live online.

On Friday, the artists organized a poetry reading with Washington-based poets and on Sunday will join a panel with journalists, watchdogs and other creatives focused on the "quest to uphold truth."

"It's as much a Trump protest as a call for more transparency and a call for more honesty," said Ligorano.

Artists melted a ton of ice spelling out the word "truth" in the shadow of the US Capitol on Saturday, in a poetic protest at the caustic state of politics in the era of "fake news" under President Donald Trump.

Artists melted a ton of ice spelling out the word "truth" in the shadow of the US Capitol on Saturday, in a poetic protest at the caustic state of politics in the era of "fake news" under President Donald Trump. "Truth Be Told," measuring 10 feet wide by seven feet tall, is the sixth sculpture in the "Melted Away" series launched in 2006 by artist duo LigoranoReese. Marshall Reese and Nora Ligorano, both 62 years old, have collaborated on art projects for nearly four decades, including woven fiber optic mesh, video and new media in clocks, mirrors and books. Their other temporary monuments shaped out of ice have included the words "democracy," "economy," "middle class," "the future" and "the American dream." The artists decided to take their call for more transparency and honesty to Washington "because ice is a material that disappears, it's an urgent moment and truth is really melting," Ligorano told AFP, as crowds gathered around the sculpture. "It's speaking truth to power." Young and old alike touched the sculpture and snapped photographs under sunny skies. A frozen T collapsed first. The first T and R then collapsed against one another in a big crash, leaving only "UH" for a moment until those letters, too, vanished. The artists collaborate with locals for their projects and here used sculptors at Ice Lab in nearby Baltimore to carve into the ice. "It's the first time I've walked into one of these places and was greeted by a woman who was dressed as an Eskimo," Ligorano said of the sculpture's ice carver. The work and its hours-long melting process was streamed live online. On Friday, the artists organized a poetry reading with Washington-based poets and on Sunday will join a panel with journalists, watchdogs and other creatives focused on the "quest to uphold truth." "It's as much a Trump protest as a call for more transparency and a call for more honesty," said Ligorano.

Melting ice sculpture protests 'fake news' at US Capitol

For its updated news application, Google is doubling down on the use of artificial intelligence as part of an effort to weed our disinformation and help users get viewpoints beyond their own "filter bubble."

Google chief Sundar Pichai, who unveiled the updated Google News earlier this month, said the app now "surfaces the news you care about from trusted sources while still giving you a full range of perspectives on events."

It marks Google's latest effort to be at the center of online news and includes a new push to help publishers get paid subscribers through the tech giant's platform.

According to product chief Trystan Upstill, the news app "uses the best of artificial intelligence to find the best of human intelligence -- the great reporting done by journalists around the globe."

While the app will enable users to get "personalized" news, it will also include top stories for all readers, aiming to break the so-called filter bubble of information designed to reinforce people's biases.

"Having a productive conversation or debate requires everyone to have access to the same information," Upstill said.

He said the "full coverage" feed would be the same for everyone -- "an unpersonalized view of events from a range of trusted news sources."

Some journalism industry veterans were skeptical about the effort to replace human editors with machine curators.

"There's been a fantasy of (algorithmic) personalized news for a log time," said New York University journalism professor Meredith Broussard.

"Nobody has ever gotten it right. I think that news designers and home page editors do a good job of curating already."

Google and Facebook have also been criticized for scooping up most online ad revenues and for enabling false information to spread.

Recently, News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson called for an "algorithm review board" that would "oversee these historically influential digital platforms and ensure that there is no algorithmic abuse or censorship."

- Changing news ecosystem - 
In the new app, Google's "newsstand" addresses some concerns by allowing users to sign up for subscriptions using their Google accounts, and will enable publishers to connect with readers directly.

Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern University journalism professor, said the revamped news app appears to be positive for the news ecosystem.

"For many years, Google refused to share ad revenues with news organizations on the grounds that Google was driving traffic to them, and that it was up to those organizations to figure out how to monetize that traffic," Kennedy said.

"Now, with more than 90 percent of all new digital ad revenues going to Google and Facebook, Google is finally acknowledging that it's time to try something else."

Nicholas Diakopoulos, a Northwestern University professor specializing in computational and data journalism, said the impact of Google's changes remain to be seen.

Diakopoulos said algorithmic and personalized news can be positive for "engagement" but may only benefit a handful of news organizations.

His research found that "Google concentrates its attention on a relatively small number of publishers, it's quite concentrated."

Google's effort to identify and prioritize "trusted" news sources may also be problematic, according to Diakopoulos.

"Maybe it's good for the big guys, or the (publishers) who have figured out how to game the algorithm," he said. "But what about the local news sites, what about the new news sites that don't have a long track record?"

Diakopoulos said that while AI can offer some advantages in news curation, "you still need people involved in many different ways. you need to reflect human values, editorial values... you can't quantify every aspect that might be important to an editorial decision."

The growing importance of the platforms raise the questions of whether Google and Facebook are "media" companies and not simply technology firms, a moniker both have resisted.

Diakopoulos said Google "is becoming more and more like a media company," although that is sometimes difficult to define.

"Yahoo started as a tech company and became a media company, and maybe Google is headed in that direction," he said.

According to product chief Trystan Upstill, the news app 'uses the best of artificial intelligence to find the best of human intelligence — the great reporting done by journalists around the globe'

For its updated news application, Google is doubling down on the use of artificial intelligence as part of an effort to weed our disinformation and help users get viewpoints beyond their own "filter bubble." Google chief Sundar Pichai, who unveiled the updated Google News earlier this month, said the app now "surfaces the news you care about from trusted sources while still giving you a full range of perspectives on events." It marks Google's latest effort to be at the center of online news and includes a new push to help publishers get paid subscribers through the tech giant's platform. According to product chief Trystan Upstill, the news app "uses the best of artificial intelligence to find the best of human intelligence -- the great reporting done by journalists around the globe." While the app will enable users to get "personalized" news, it will also include top stories for all readers, aiming to break the so-called filter bubble of information designed to reinforce people's biases. "Having a productive conversation or debate requires everyone to have access to the same information," Upstill said. He said the "full coverage" feed would be the same for everyone -- "an unpersonalized view of events from a range of trusted news sources." Some journalism industry veterans were skeptical about the effort to replace human editors with machine curators. "There's been a fantasy of (algorithmic) personalized news for a log time," said New York University journalism professor Meredith Broussard. "Nobody has ever gotten it right. I think that news designers and home page editors do a good job of curating already." Google and Facebook have also been criticized for scooping up most online ad revenues and for enabling false information to spread. Recently, News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson called for an "algorithm review board" that would "oversee these historically influential digital platforms and ensure that there is no algorithmic abuse or censorship." - Changing news ecosystem - In the new app, Google's "newsstand" addresses some concerns by allowing users to sign up for subscriptions using their Google accounts, and will enable publishers to connect with readers directly. Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern University journalism professor, said the revamped news app appears to be positive for the news ecosystem. "For many years, Google refused to share ad revenues with news organizations on the grounds that Google was driving traffic to them, and that it was up to those organizations to figure out how to monetize that traffic," Kennedy said. "Now, with more than 90 percent of all new digital ad revenues going to Google and Facebook, Google is finally acknowledging that it's time to try something else." Nicholas Diakopoulos, a Northwestern University professor specializing in computational and data journalism, said the impact of Google's changes remain to be seen. Diakopoulos said algorithmic and personalized news can be positive for "engagement" but may only benefit a handful of news organizations. His research found that "Google concentrates its attention on a relatively small number of publishers, it's quite concentrated." Google's effort to identify and prioritize "trusted" news sources may also be problematic, according to Diakopoulos. "Maybe it's good for the big guys, or the (publishers) who have figured out how to game the algorithm," he said. "But what about the local news sites, what about the new news sites that don't have a long track record?" Diakopoulos said that while AI can offer some advantages in news curation, "you still need people involved in many different ways. you need to reflect human values, editorial values... you can't quantify every aspect that might be important to an editorial decision." The growing importance of the platforms raise the questions of whether Google and Facebook are "media" companies and not simply technology firms, a moniker both have resisted. Diakopoulos said Google "is becoming more and more like a media company," although that is sometimes difficult to define. "Yahoo started as a tech company and became a media company, and maybe Google is headed in that direction," he said.

To filter out fake news, Google's news app is using AI

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold "frank" talks with Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on tax and data privacy in a week's time when he welcomes the bosses of leading tech firms to Paris in a drive to lure more investment.

The French leader's office said he would meet Zuckerberg and more than a dozen technology chief executives during a Tech for Good summit at which he will pitch France Inc but also push his case for an EU tax on digital turnover and call for a tougher battle against fake news.

Also expected at the Elysee Palace event are IBM's Virginia Rometty, Intel Corp's Brian Krzanich and Microsoft Corp's Satya Nadella.

Macron, 40, paints himself as a champion of France's plugged-in youth and wants to transform France into a "startup nation", but he is also spearheading efforts in Europe to have digital tax companies pay more tax at source.

The summit comes at a time Facebook is under pressure in the United States and in Europe over data privacy after it emerged that tens of millions of users' personal data harvested from the website by political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

"There will be tough discussions," one official in Macron's office said.

Macron will hold a one-on-one meeting with Zuckerberg, during which all subjects will be raised in "very frank" discussions, the president's office said.

In April, Zuckerberg fielded questions over two days from US&nbsplawmakers over how it handles private data, refusing to make any promises to support new legislation or change how the social network does business.

Lawmakers in Europe are demanding answers too and the European Parliament has requested Zuckerberg appear before the assembly more than once.

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold 'frank' talks with Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on tax and data privacy in a week's time when he welcomes the bosses of leading tech firms to Paris in a drive to lure more investment

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold "frank" talks with Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on tax and data privacy in a week's time when he welcomes the bosses of leading tech firms to Paris in a drive to lure more investment. The French leader's office said he would meet Zuckerberg and more than a dozen technology chief executives during a Tech for Good summit at which he will pitch France Inc but also push his case for an EU tax on digital turnover and call for a tougher battle against fake news. Also expected at the Elysee Palace event are IBM's Virginia Rometty, Intel Corp's Brian Krzanich and Microsoft Corp's Satya Nadella. Macron, 40, paints himself as a champion of France's plugged-in youth and wants to transform France into a "startup nation", but he is also spearheading efforts in Europe to have digital tax companies pay more tax at source. The summit comes at a time Facebook is under pressure in the United States and in Europe over data privacy after it emerged that tens of millions of users' personal data harvested from the website by political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. "There will be tough discussions," one official in Macron's office said. Macron will hold a one-on-one meeting with Zuckerberg, during which all subjects will be raised in "very frank" discussions, the president's office said. In April, Zuckerberg fielded questions over two days from US&nbsplawmakers over how it handles private data, refusing to make any promises to support new legislation or change how the social network does business. Lawmakers in Europe are demanding answers too and the European Parliament has requested Zuckerberg appear before the assembly more than once.

France’s Macron to hold 'tough talks' with Facebook's Zuckerberg in Paris meet

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif today demanded the resignation of anti-corruption watchdog chief for ordering a probe against him on the basis of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ex-pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-facing-probe-for-laundering-49-bn-to-india-pak-media-135542?first_load=no">false media report</a> which claimed that he had allegedly laundered USD 4.9 billion to India.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday announced inquiry against Sharif on the basis of the report that USD 4.9 billion was laundered from Pakistan to India in 2016.

The World Bank has denied as "incorrect" the Pakistani media reports.

Sharif in a press briefing grilled NAB chief Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal for failure on his part to probe the report at internal level before going public with it.

"Does the NAB not know that the World Bank had issued a clarification two years ago and said there had been no money laundering? Does it not know that reputed newspapers like the Wall Street Journal, Dawn, Business Recorder had reported on the issue?", he asked.

He said that the NAB used an "unknown column in an unknown newspaper published four months ago" against him to begin an investigation.

"It is NAB's duty to answer all my questions within 24 hours and address these reservations. Failing to do so, the NAB should apologise to the nation and the chairman should resign," Sharif demanded.

He said that the NAB's actions against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were part of a pre-poll rigging.

The NAB chief defended his department and said anti-corruption drive will continue without any favour or prejudice to anybody.

"Whatever the NAB is doing it's doing for the country, for the people," the NAB chairman said in Peshawar.

"The NAB does not need any advertisement or any appreciation. If someone criticises or insults the NAB it's up to them but the NAB has been and will continue to exercise its rights in accordance with the law, the

Constitution and also keeping in mind others' dignity," Iqbal said without naming Sharif or the botched probe into the money laundering.

He said that asking someone about the source of money or who they spent it while in public office was not a crime.

"And let's suppose it is a crime, then this crime will continue to be committed because it's in the interest of this country. The situation right now is that we can't tolerate corruption any more," the NAB chairman said.

The issue of flawed news of laundering USD 4.9 billion to India has been echoing in media and Parliament as PML-N and the government heavily criticised the NAB.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi speaking in the National Assembly yesterday accused the NAB of bias against Sharif and targeting him on the basis of a report which had already been rejected.

Sharif, 68, is facing three corruption cases in the accountability court following the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Pakistan's Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. He has also been disqualified from holding public office for life.

Sharif has dismissed the corruption charges as politically motivated. If convicted in the three corruption cases, he could be jailed.&nbsp

The news report had claimed Sharif had laundered $4.9 billion to India.

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif today demanded the resignation of anti-corruption watchdog chief for ordering a probe against him on the basis of a false media report which claimed that he had allegedly laundered USD 4.9 billion to India. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday announced inquiry against Sharif on the basis of the report that USD 4.9 billion was laundered from Pakistan to India in 2016. The World Bank has denied as "incorrect" the Pakistani media reports. Sharif in a press briefing grilled NAB chief Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal for failure on his part to probe the report at internal level before going public with it. "Does the NAB not know that the World Bank had issued a clarification two years ago and said there had been no money laundering? Does it not know that reputed newspapers like the Wall Street Journal, Dawn, Business Recorder had reported on the issue?", he asked. He said that the NAB used an "unknown column in an unknown newspaper published four months ago" against him to begin an investigation. "It is NAB's duty to answer all my questions within 24 hours and address these reservations. Failing to do so, the NAB should apologise to the nation and the chairman should resign," Sharif demanded. He said that the NAB's actions against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were part of a pre-poll rigging. The NAB chief defended his department and said anti-corruption drive will continue without any favour or prejudice to anybody. "Whatever the NAB is doing it's doing for the country, for the people," the NAB chairman said in Peshawar. "The NAB does not need any advertisement or any appreciation. If someone criticises or insults the NAB it's up to them but the NAB has been and will continue to exercise its rights in accordance with the law, the Constitution and also keeping in mind others' dignity," Iqbal said without naming Sharif or the botched probe into the money laundering. He said that asking someone about the source of money or who they spent it while in public office was not a crime. "And let's suppose it is a crime, then this crime will continue to be committed because it's in the interest of this country. The situation right now is that we can't tolerate corruption any more," the NAB chairman said. The issue of flawed news of laundering USD 4.9 billion to India has been echoing in media and Parliament as PML-N and the government heavily criticised the NAB. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi speaking in the National Assembly yesterday accused the NAB of bias against Sharif and targeting him on the basis of a report which had already been rejected. Sharif, 68, is facing three corruption cases in the accountability court following the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case. Pakistan's Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. He has also been disqualified from holding public office for life. Sharif has dismissed the corruption charges as politically motivated. If convicted in the three corruption cases, he could be jailed.

Nawaz Sharif demands NAB chief's ouster for ordering probe on basis of fake news report

Malaysian authorities&nbsphave convicted a Danish man for&nbsp''fake news'' making it&nbspa first arrest&nbspunder the controversial law.

46-year-old man name Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman a Yemeni descent posted a video on YouTube accusing emergency services, police and ambulance responding late to the distress call after a Palestinian lecturer was gunned down in Kuala Lumpur&nbspon April 21.

In his video, Sulaiman claimed in Arabic that the authorities&nbsptook 50 minutes in responding to the distress calls after the incident took place whereas the police have disputed claiming that it took eight minutes to respond.

Sulaiman has&nbsppleaded guilty in court and said that he didn't mean to spread any kind of harm to the society as he apologised. He further said that the two-minute video was made under frustrated emotion.

He has been sentenced to a week by a local judge and fined with 10,000 ringgit.

The court has further directed to extend his imprisonment by one month if he fails to pay his fine.

Ahead of the upcoming elections in May, Malaysia introduced laws against fake news to crack down on people spreading false information and hate speech.

However, the law was criticised by the Malaysian media and experts as it has alleged that the law breaches constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. Some critics of the law are also seeing it as an attempt to suppress talks of the corruption ahead of the election.

Malaysia became one of the few countries who introduced laws against fake news issue. The law was passed earlier in April which makes spreading false news punishable by up to six years with a hefty fine of&nbsp500,000 ringgit.

46-year-old man name Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman a Yemeni descent posted a video on YouTube accusing emergency services, police and ambulance responding late to the distress call

Malaysian authorities&nbsphave convicted a Danish man for ''fake news'' making it&nbspa first arrest&nbspunder the controversial law. 46-year-old man name Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman a Yemeni descent posted a video on YouTube accusing emergency services, police and ambulance responding late to the distress call after a Palestinian lecturer was gunned down in Kuala Lumpur&nbspon April 21. In his video, Sulaiman claimed in Arabic that the authorities&nbsptook 50 minutes in responding to the distress calls after the incident took place whereas the police have disputed claiming that it took eight minutes to respond. Sulaiman has&nbsppleaded guilty in court and said that he didn't mean to spread any kind of harm to the society as he apologised. He further said that the two-minute video was made under frustrated emotion. He has been sentenced to a week by a local judge and fined with 10,000 ringgit. The court has further directed to extend his imprisonment by one month if he fails to pay his fine. Ahead of the upcoming elections in May, Malaysia introduced laws against fake news to crack down on people spreading false information and hate speech. However, the law was criticised by the Malaysian media and experts as it has alleged that the law breaches constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. Some critics of the law are also seeing it as an attempt to suppress talks of the corruption ahead of the election. Malaysia became one of the few countries who introduced laws against fake news issue. The law was passed earlier in April which makes spreading false news punishable by up to six years with a hefty fine of&nbsp500,000 ringgit.

Malaysia: First person convicted under fake news law

Union Minister Smriti Irani said on Thursday she was willing to pay the price for standing up for her beliefs, asserting that the "true mettle" of politicians is determined on whether they are able to stick to their stand in the face of criticism.&nbsp

The comments by the Information and Broadcasting Minister came in the backdrop of her ministry withdrawing its contentious press release on fake news following a directive from the Prime Minister's Office after wide-spread criticism by media and opposition parties.

"I felt that if belief systems change as per political convenience then what kind of a leader or what kind of a Parliamentarian will that make you? So for me, what is tough possibly is to believe in something, and at times there is cacophony which goes against your very belief," the minister said at a panel discussion.

"Your true mettle as a politician or a leader is then determined as to whether you are swayed by that cacophony or whether you still stand your ground. And I am willing to pay the price for it and I am," Irani said, without elaborating.

Irani was responding to a query by Hero Enterprise Chairman Sunil Kant Munjal who asked how difficult it was for her to get her daily work done when she holds on to her guns despite opposition to her beliefs or action.

She said "I think, in our everyday life, all of us irrespective of our professions or vocations, obviously believe in something. We have the confidence to go that extra mile to implement it.

"Success is not guaranteed, but at least for myself, I always said that there will not be any moment where I will be caught not having fulfilled my destiny because of want of that desire to make it or that desire to achieve that goal," she said.

Irani had come under attack earlier this month after I and B Ministry amended guidelines on accreditation of journalists for, what it said, to check fake news.

The amended guidelines had stated that if the publication or telecast of fake news was confirmed, accreditation of the journalist would be suspended for six months in the first violation, for one year in case of a second violation and permanent cancellation in case of a third violation.

The guidelines were withdrawn following a directive to do so by the PMO.

The comments by the Information and Broadcasting Minister came in the backdrop of her ministry withdrawing its contentious press release on fake news following a directive from the Prime Minister's Office after wide-spread criticism by media and opposition parties

Union Minister Smriti Irani said on Thursday she was willing to pay the price for standing up for her beliefs, asserting that the "true mettle" of politicians is determined on whether they are able to stick to their stand in the face of criticism. The comments by the Information and Broadcasting Minister came in the backdrop of her ministry withdrawing its contentious press release on fake news following a directive from the Prime Minister's Office after wide-spread criticism by media and opposition parties. "I felt that if belief systems change as per political convenience then what kind of a leader or what kind of a Parliamentarian will that make you? So for me, what is tough possibly is to believe in something, and at times there is cacophony which goes against your very belief," the minister said at a panel discussion. "Your true mettle as a politician or a leader is then determined as to whether you are swayed by that cacophony or whether you still stand your ground. And I am willing to pay the price for it and I am," Irani said, without elaborating. Irani was responding to a query by Hero Enterprise Chairman Sunil Kant Munjal who asked how difficult it was for her to get her daily work done when she holds on to her guns despite opposition to her beliefs or action. She said "I think, in our everyday life, all of us irrespective of our professions or vocations, obviously believe in something. We have the confidence to go that extra mile to implement it. "Success is not guaranteed, but at least for myself, I always said that there will not be any moment where I will be caught not having fulfilled my destiny because of want of that desire to make it or that desire to achieve that goal," she said. Irani had come under attack earlier this month after I and B Ministry amended guidelines on accreditation of journalists for, what it said, to check fake news. The amended guidelines had stated that if the publication or telecast of fake news was confirmed, accreditation of the journalist would be suspended for six months in the first violation, for one year in case of a second violation and permanent cancellation in case of a third violation. The guidelines were withdrawn following a directive to do so by the PMO.

Willing to pay price for standing up for my belief: Smriti Irani

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday asked the people to exercise caution on news items being circulated on the social media as in many cases they are fake.

Speaking at a gathering of cable TV operators here, Banerjee asked them to stay vigilant and urged them not to beam news items involving communal violence that can fuel trouble and unrest elsewhere.

She requested the operators to felicitate government messages to be broadcast via cable TV to control such situations.

"Fake news is circulating in a big way. Fake news incite people leading to unrest. People should be aware of these and stay cautious," Banerjee said.

Quality should be maintained in serials where negativity is rampant causing social degradation, she said.

On Tuesday's nor'wester that left 18 dead and scores injured, Banerjee said, "We don't have any control on natural calamities. But at least, we should not create man-made disasters."

The cable operators told her that their financial condition worsened after the digital system was introduced replacing the analogue system and the 25,000 odd cable operators in the state are in a sorry state of affairs.

The chief minister today set up a committee to solve their problems.

The committee includes Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, Labour Minister Malay Ghatak, Youth and Sports Minister Arup Biswas, the Commissioner of Police, and representatives of broadcasters and cable operators.

The state government will try to get a tripartite agreement to protect the interests of all, she said.

Banerjee also asked cable operators to come under the fold of MSMEs and announced several social security schemes for them and their families.

Quality should be maintained in serials where negativity is rampant causing social degradation, she said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday asked the people to exercise caution on news items being circulated on the social media as in many cases they are fake. Speaking at a gathering of cable TV operators here, Banerjee asked them to stay vigilant and urged them not to beam news items involving communal violence that can fuel trouble and unrest elsewhere. She requested the operators to felicitate government messages to be broadcast via cable TV to control such situations. "Fake news is circulating in a big way. Fake news incite people leading to unrest. People should be aware of these and stay cautious," Banerjee said. Quality should be maintained in serials where negativity is rampant causing social degradation, she said. On Tuesday's nor'wester that left 18 dead and scores injured, Banerjee said, "We don't have any control on natural calamities. But at least, we should not create man-made disasters." The cable operators told her that their financial condition worsened after the digital system was introduced replacing the analogue system and the 25,000 odd cable operators in the state are in a sorry state of affairs. The chief minister today set up a committee to solve their problems. The committee includes Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, Labour Minister Malay Ghatak, Youth and Sports Minister Arup Biswas, the Commissioner of Police, and representatives of broadcasters and cable operators. The state government will try to get a tripartite agreement to protect the interests of all, she said. Banerjee also asked cable operators to come under the fold of MSMEs and announced several social security schemes for them and their families.

Mamata urges people to exercise caution on fake news

Social networking giant Facebook is introducing a third-party fact-checking programme in India to combat the spread of "false news" on its platform, starting with a pilot in Karnataka, which goes to polls next month.

Facebook said it has partnered with BOOM, an independent digital journalism initiative certified through the International Fact-Checking Network, for a pilot in Karnataka.

Assembly elections in Karnataka will be held on May 12.

In a blogpost today, the US social networking giant said the programme in India aims "to fight the spread of false news on our platform".

BOOM will review English language news stories flagged on Facebook, check facts, and rate their accuracy, it said.

Facebook is running similar initiatives in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Indonesia, the Philippines and the US.

Over the last few weeks, Facebook has drawn intense criticism from users and governments globally over a number of issues, ranging from false news on the platform to information of over 80 million users being mined by data analytics and political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica.

The Indian government had also questioned both the companies on the impact of the data breach. Facebook had admitted that nearly 5.62 lakh people in India were "potentially affected" by the incident. 
Testifying before the US Congress, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had said his organisation was committed to ensure integrity of elections across the world, including India.

In its blogpost, the company said it believes that "once a story is rated as false, we have been able to reduce its distribution by 80 per cent, and thereby, improve accuracy of information on Facebook and reduce misinformation".

Facebook has already stated that it will use reports from community along with other signals to send stories to fact-checking organisations.

"We are beginning small and know it is important to learn from this test and listen to our community as we continue to update ways for people to understand what might be false news in their News Feed," it said.

Detailing out the process, Facebook said after a story is rated as false by the fact-checker, it will figure lower in News Feed, "significantly reducing its distribution".

"This in turn stops the hoax from spreading and reduces the number of people who see it. Pages and domains that repeatedly share false news will also see their distribution reduced and their ability to monetise and advertise removed," it said.

This, Facebook said, will help curb the spread of "financially motivated false news".

"We also want to empower people to decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share by providing the community with more information and control... If third-party fact-checkers write articles debunking a false news story, we'll show it in Related Articles immediately below the story in News Feed," Facebook said.

Facebook will also send people and Page administrators notifications if they try to share a story or have shared one in the past that has been determined to be false.

"While third party fact checking is part of our ongoing efforts to combat spread of false news, we are working hard to improve the accuracy of information on Facebook in various ways," it added.&nbsp

Karnataka goes to the polls on May 12. The fact-checking services will be provided by a third party

Social networking giant Facebook is introducing a third-party fact-checking programme in India to combat the spread of "false news" on its platform, starting with a pilot in Karnataka, which goes to polls next month. Facebook said it has partnered with BOOM, an independent digital journalism initiative certified through the International Fact-Checking Network, for a pilot in Karnataka. Assembly elections in Karnataka will be held on May 12. In a blogpost today, the US social networking giant said the programme in India aims "to fight the spread of false news on our platform". BOOM will review English language news stories flagged on Facebook, check facts, and rate their accuracy, it said. Facebook is running similar initiatives in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Indonesia, the Philippines and the US. Over the last few weeks, Facebook has drawn intense criticism from users and governments globally over a number of issues, ranging from false news on the platform to information of over 80 million users being mined by data analytics and political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica. The Indian government had also questioned both the companies on the impact of the data breach. Facebook had admitted that nearly 5.62 lakh people in India were "potentially affected" by the incident. Testifying before the US Congress, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had said his organisation was committed to ensure integrity of elections across the world, including India. In its blogpost, the company said it believes that "once a story is rated as false, we have been able to reduce its distribution by 80 per cent, and thereby, improve accuracy of information on Facebook and reduce misinformation". Facebook has already stated that it will use reports from community along with other signals to send stories to fact-checking organisations. "We are beginning small and know it is important to learn from this test and listen to our community as we continue to update ways for people to understand what might be false news in their News Feed," it said. Detailing out the process, Facebook said after a story is rated as false by the fact-checker, it will figure lower in News Feed, "significantly reducing its distribution". "This in turn stops the hoax from spreading and reduces the number of people who see it. Pages and domains that repeatedly share false news will also see their distribution reduced and their ability to monetise and advertise removed," it said. This, Facebook said, will help curb the spread of "financially motivated false news". "We also want to empower people to decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share by providing the community with more information and control... If third-party fact-checkers write articles debunking a false news story, we'll show it in Related Articles immediately below the story in News Feed," Facebook said. Facebook will also send people and Page administrators notifications if they try to share a story or have shared one in the past that has been determined to be false. "While third party fact checking is part of our ongoing efforts to combat spread of false news, we are working hard to improve the accuracy of information on Facebook in various ways," it added.

Facebook introduces fact-checking programme to fight fake news; starts pilot in Karnataka

The Editors Guild of India&nbsp;issued statements on Tuesday warning the government against policing the media.

The warning came following the I&B Ministry's order to curb " fake news".The "fake news order" was however withdrawn on Monday&nbsp;after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the Ministry to cancel its controversial guidelines on fake news.

Here is the full text of the press release from the Editors Guild.

EDITORS GUILD WARNS GOVERNMENT AGAINST POLICING THE MEDIA

The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the arbitrary manner contemplated by the Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry ostensibly to penalise any journalist or media organisation publishing fake news. By notifying that the I&B Ministry will initiate such proceedings, the Government was arrogating for itself the role of policing the media. It would have opened the door for frivolous complaints to harass journalists and organisations to fall in line.

The Guild acknowledges the intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office to withdraw the I & B Ministry’s notification but remains deeply disturbed that faith continues to be reposed on the Press Council of India to deliver justice on such issues. The recent reconstitution of the Press Council of India has been done in a manner that gives rise to doubts over the independence of the institution and its ability to play neutral umpire. The Guild’s nominees to the Council were disallowed on technical grounds. Also, the recent reconstitution of the Central Press Accreditation Committee has raised questions over the non-transparent processes being followed by the I&B Ministry as the Guild’s application was ignored.

The Guild also points out that 'fake news' is a process that cannot be left to governments to initiate action when, on many occasions, the governments and the parties in power - both at the Centre and states – are charged with propagating fake news themselves. Moreover, news organisations are not the only source of generation of fake news with the country awash with digital platforms of all hues and opinions that operate without constraints and have the potential to cause far more damage.

The Guild has always stood for observing the highest journalistic standards and is willing to work with the Central Government, state governments and media bodies to define what can be constituted as ‘fake news’ and take action against those found guilty of propagating such news without compromising on the independence and freedom of the media.

&nbsp;

Signed on behalf of the Editors Guild of India

&nbsp;Raj Chengappa, President&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prakash Dubey, General Secretary

Kalyani Shankar, Treasurer

The warning came following the I&B Ministry's order to curb 'fake news'. The 'fake news order' was however withdrawn on Monday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the Ministry to cancel its controversial guidelines on fake news

The Editors Guild of India issued statements on Tuesday warning the government against policing the media. The warning came following the I&B Ministry's order to curb " fake news".The "fake news order" was however withdrawn on Monday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the Ministry to cancel its controversial guidelines on fake news. Here is the full text of the press release from the Editors Guild. EDITORS GUILD WARNS GOVERNMENT AGAINST POLICING THE MEDIA The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the arbitrary manner contemplated by the Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry ostensibly to penalise any journalist or media organisation publishing fake news. By notifying that the I&B Ministry will initiate such proceedings, the Government was arrogating for itself the role of policing the media. It would have opened the door for frivolous complaints to harass journalists and organisations to fall in line. The Guild acknowledges the intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office to withdraw the I & B Ministry’s notification but remains deeply disturbed that faith continues to be reposed on the Press Council of India to deliver justice on such issues. The recent reconstitution of the Press Council of India has been done in a manner that gives rise to doubts over the independence of the institution and its ability to play neutral umpire. The Guild’s nominees to the Council were disallowed on technical grounds. Also, the recent reconstitution of the Central Press Accreditation Committee has raised questions over the non-transparent processes being followed by the I&B Ministry as the Guild’s application was ignored. The Guild also points out that 'fake news' is a process that cannot be left to governments to initiate action when, on many occasions, the governments and the parties in power - both at the Centre and states – are charged with propagating fake news themselves. Moreover, news organisations are not the only source of generation of fake news with the country awash with digital platforms of all hues and opinions that operate without constraints and have the potential to cause far more damage. The Guild has always stood for observing the highest journalistic standards and is willing to work with the Central Government, state governments and media bodies to define what can be constituted as ‘fake news’ and take action against those found guilty of propagating such news without compromising on the independence and freedom of the media. Signed on behalf of the Editors Guild of India Raj Chengappa, President Prakash Dubey, General Secretary Kalyani Shankar, Treasurer

Editors Guild warns government against media policing: Read full text here

If there was one thing that had remained constant — so far — in the 46-month-old Modi government, it was the steadfastness with which the government stuck to many of its controversial decisions, refusing to buckle under criticism or adverse public opinion.&nbsp;

April 3, 2018 changed that.

The government's decision to roll back a proposed crackdown on “fake news” in less than 24 hours could arguably be the first and most significant retreat of the Modi government as it nears completing four years in office and plans to get into election mode with just over a year remaining for the next Lok Sabha polls.

The crackdown — which mandated penalties ranging from the suspension to the cancellation of the accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news” — was proposed by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry piloted by Smriti Irani. It was disposed of by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

Could it be the case that the government had not factored in the furore that erupted following the I&B ministry's diktat? Unlikely. Was it an attempt at testing the waters then? One thing is clear: the speed at which the course-correction took place was unprecedented.

On the face of it, many would think that the I&B ministry erred and was set right by the Prime Minister's Office. But those who cover the government know only too well the overarching control the PMO exercises on all the ministries. Simply put, to think that Irani's ministry could have come up with the diktat without keeping the PMO in the loop is being naive at best. And the Prime Minister directing that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and that the matter should only be addressed by the Press Council of India is nothing more than damage control.

Now coming to the diktat itself. Was it really about fake news? That's the big question. Those who would have been impacted by the amended guidelines were journalists accredited with the Government of India — mostly working for the national media and covering the Central government. Does the government have enough reason to believe that these “accredited journalists” are peddling “fake news”? Or was it just an attempt to create a mechanism to muzzle some inconvenient voices — accredited ones, of course.

What made the I&B directive more curious was that it proposed nothing to deal with social media — the most fertile breeding ground for fake news in today's India. Instead, it proposed something bordering on the draconian — immediate suspension of a journalist's accreditation the moment a complaint is registered and sent for inquiry to the Press Council of India or the News Broadcasters Association.

As a barrage of criticism broke loose, the I&B ministry made a feeble attempt at arguing that the “fake news” cases will be determined by PCI and NBA which are not “regulated” or “operated” by the Central government. That is akin to saying the I&B ministry maintains an arm's length distance from Prasar Bharati.

Off the record, in private conversations, central bureaucrats and political insiders have often underlined how the incumbent government was not a “rollback sarkar”. Let's a take a few examples from the I&B ministry itself. Pune's FTII was on the boil for months following Gajendra Chauhan's appointment to its helm, but the government did not budge. As CBFC chief, Pahlaj Nihalani not only kept raising the hackles of the Hindi film industry but was also an embarrassment to the government. But he was persisted with. Because this was not a rollback government, the government machinery argued.&nbsp;

April 3, 2018 changed that.

And to think that Smriti Irani's I&B ministry could have come up with the diktat, proposing the cancellation of the accreditation of journalists found guilty of publishing 'fake news', without keeping the PMO in the loop is being naive at best

If there was one thing that had remained constant — so far — in the 46-month-old Modi government, it was the steadfastness with which the government stuck to many of its controversial decisions, refusing to buckle under criticism or adverse public opinion. April 3, 2018 changed that. The government's decision to roll back a proposed crackdown on “fake news” in less than 24 hours could arguably be the first and most significant retreat of the Modi government as it nears completing four years in office and plans to get into election mode with just over a year remaining for the next Lok Sabha polls. The crackdown — which mandated penalties ranging from the suspension to the cancellation of the accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news” — was proposed by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry piloted by Smriti Irani. It was disposed of by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Could it be the case that the government had not factored in the furore that erupted following the I&B ministry's diktat? Unlikely. Was it an attempt at testing the waters then? One thing is clear: the speed at which the course-correction took place was unprecedented. On the face of it, many would think that the I&B ministry erred and was set right by the Prime Minister's Office. But those who cover the government know only too well the overarching control the PMO exercises on all the ministries. Simply put, to think that Irani's ministry could have come up with the diktat without keeping the PMO in the loop is being naive at best. And the Prime Minister directing that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and that the matter should only be addressed by the Press Council of India is nothing more than damage control. Now coming to the diktat itself. Was it really about fake news? That's the big question. Those who would have been impacted by the amended guidelines were journalists accredited with the Government of India — mostly working for the national media and covering the Central government. Does the government have enough reason to believe that these “accredited journalists” are peddling “fake news”? Or was it just an attempt to create a mechanism to muzzle some inconvenient voices — accredited ones, of course. What made the I&B directive more curious was that it proposed nothing to deal with social media — the most fertile breeding ground for fake news in today's India. Instead, it proposed something bordering on the draconian — immediate suspension of a journalist's accreditation the moment a complaint is registered and sent for inquiry to the Press Council of India or the News Broadcasters Association. As a barrage of criticism broke loose, the I&B ministry made a feeble attempt at arguing that the “fake news” cases will be determined by PCI and NBA which are not “regulated” or “operated” by the Central government. That is akin to saying the I&B ministry maintains an arm's length distance from Prasar Bharati. Off the record, in private conversations, central bureaucrats and political insiders have often underlined how the incumbent government was not a “rollback sarkar”. Let's a take a few examples from the I&B ministry itself. Pune's FTII was on the boil for months following Gajendra Chauhan's appointment to its helm, but the government did not budge. As CBFC chief, Pahlaj Nihalani not only kept raising the hackles of the Hindi film industry but was also an embarrassment to the government. But he was persisted with. Because this was not a rollback government, the government machinery argued. April 3, 2018 changed that.

Opinion: Rollback of fake news crackdown is Modi government's first, most significant retreat

Congress president on Tuesday called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimimg that Modi made a U-turn on his "own order" on fake news, and said one could clearly see "a loss of control and panic setting in".

He tweeted with the hashtag #BasEkAurSaal keeping in mind the Lok Sabha elections that are due in 2019.

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Sensing mounting anger on the “fake news” notification, the PM orders a U-Turn on his own order. 
 
One can clearly see a loss of control and panic setting in now. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BasEkAurSaal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BasEkAurSaal</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/981142156533555200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Modi today ordered the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to cancel its contentious guidelines on fake news after widespread criticism and outcry by journalists and opposition parties who dubbed these norms an attempt to "muzzle" the free press.

Soon after, the ministry issued a statement, saying press release regarding fake news put out by it last night "stands withdrawn."

In the release, the ministry had said: "Noticing the increasing instances of fake news in various mediums including print and electronic media, the Government has amended the Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists. Now on receiving any complaints of such instances of fake news, the same would get referred to the Press Council of India (PCI) if it pertains to print media & to News Broadcasters Association (NBA) if it relates to electronic media, for determination of the news item being fake or not."

“Determination is expected to be completed within 15 days by these regulating agencies. Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the correspondent or journalist whoever created or propagated the fake news will, if accredited, have the accreditation suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies mentioned above," the statement further mentioned.

Earlier in the day while addressing a public meeting in Karnataka, Rahul had also hit out at the Prime Minister for "not uttering a word" on the alleged atrocities on Dalits and tribals and "dilution" of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rahul is currently in the fifth leg of his tour of the poll-bound Karnataka.&nbsp;

Modi today ordered the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to cancel its contentious guidelines on fake news after widespread criticism and outcry by journalists and opposition parties who dubbed these norms an attempt to 'muzzle' the free press

Congress president on Tuesday called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimimg that Modi made a U-turn on his "own order" on fake news, and said one could clearly see "a loss of control and panic setting in". He tweeted with the hashtag #BasEkAurSaal keeping in mind the Lok Sabha elections that are due in 2019. Sensing mounting anger on the “fake news” notification, the PM orders a U-Turn on his own order. One can clearly see a loss of control and panic setting in now. #BasEkAurSaal — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 3, 2018 × Modi today ordered the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to cancel its contentious guidelines on fake news after widespread criticism and outcry by journalists and opposition parties who dubbed these norms an attempt to "muzzle" the free press. Soon after, the ministry issued a statement, saying press release regarding fake news put out by it last night "stands withdrawn." In the release, the ministry had said: "Noticing the increasing instances of fake news in various mediums including print and electronic media, the Government has amended the Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists. Now on receiving any complaints of such instances of fake news, the same would get referred to the Press Council of India (PCI) if it pertains to print media & to News Broadcasters Association (NBA) if it relates to electronic media, for determination of the news item being fake or not." “Determination is expected to be completed within 15 days by these regulating agencies. Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the correspondent or journalist whoever created or propagated the fake news will, if accredited, have the accreditation suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies mentioned above," the statement further mentioned. Earlier in the day while addressing a public meeting in Karnataka, Rahul had also hit out at the Prime Minister for "not uttering a word" on the alleged atrocities on Dalits and tribals and "dilution" of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rahul is currently in the fifth leg of his tour of the poll-bound Karnataka.

Loss of control and panic setting in: Rahul Gandhi on rollback of fake news crackdown

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the press release regarding 'fake news'&nbsp;to be withdrawn. As per PM Modi's order, the matter should now be addressed in Press Council of India.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLASH</a>: Prime Minister has directed that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and the matter should only be addressed in Press Council of India. <a href="https://t.co/KVUBeAoDhC">pic.twitter.com/KVUBeAoDhC</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/981063988913016832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Indian government yesterday amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists in a bid to deal with the rise of "fake news".

The move came in the wake of the Malaysian Parliament pushing for a law that made 'fake news' punishable with a maximum six-year jail term.

Smriti Irani-led Information & Broadcasting ministry proposed penalties ranging from suspension to cancellation of accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news”.

The guidelines were set to apply to journalists accredited by the Government of India, thereby indicating government's plan to deal with non-accredited journalists engaging in 'fake news' through the I&B ministry.

“While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the `Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ and `Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards’ prescribed by the PCI and NBA respectively are adhered to by the journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines,” the Information & Broadcasting ministry said in its release.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/government-proposes-penalties-for-journalists-reporting-fake-news-127949">Government proposes penalties for journalists reporting 'fake news'</a>

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting&nbsp;took to Twitter saying that the accreditation guidelines have generated a debate.

"Several journalists & organisations have reached out giving positive suggestions regarding the same," her tweet read.&nbsp;

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PIB Accreditation Guidelines asking Press Council of India & News Broadcasters Association to define & act against ‘fake news’ have generated debate. Several journalists & organisations have reached out giving positive suggestions regarding the same. 1/2
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) <a href="https://twitter.com/smritiirani/status/981060726042300421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Irani welcomed journalists to engage with her over questions and doubts related to the guidelines.&nbsp;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/MIB_India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MIB_India</a> is more than happy to engage with journalist body or organisation/s wanting to give suggestions so that together we can fight the menace of ‘fake news’ & uphold ethical journalism. Interested journalists and/or organisations may feel free to meet me at <a href="https://twitter.com/MIB_India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MIB_India</a>. 2/2
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) <a href="https://twitter.com/smritiirani/status/981061044914278401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Indian government yesterday amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists in a bid to deal with the rise of 'fake news'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the press release regarding 'fake news' to be withdrawn. As per PM Modi's order, the matter should now be addressed in Press Council of India. #FLASH: Prime Minister has directed that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and the matter should only be addressed in Press Council of India. pic.twitter.com/KVUBeAoDhC — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2018 × The Indian government yesterday amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists in a bid to deal with the rise of "fake news". The move came in the wake of the Malaysian Parliament pushing for a law that made 'fake news' punishable with a maximum six-year jail term. Smriti Irani-led Information & Broadcasting ministry proposed penalties ranging from suspension to cancellation of accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news”. The guidelines were set to apply to journalists accredited by the Government of India, thereby indicating government's plan to deal with non-accredited journalists engaging in 'fake news' through the I&B ministry. “While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the `Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ and `Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards’ prescribed by the PCI and NBA respectively are adhered to by the journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines,” the Information & Broadcasting ministry said in its release. Also read: Government proposes penalties for journalists reporting 'fake news' Meanwhile, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting took to Twitter saying that the accreditation guidelines have generated a debate. "Several journalists & organisations have reached out giving positive suggestions regarding the same," her tweet read. PIB Accreditation Guidelines asking Press Council of India & News Broadcasters Association to define & act against ‘fake news’ have generated debate. Several journalists & organisations have reached out giving positive suggestions regarding the same. 1/2 — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 3, 2018 × Irani welcomed journalists to engage with her over questions and doubts related to the guidelines. .@MIB_India is more than happy to engage with journalist body or organisation/s wanting to give suggestions so that together we can fight the menace of ‘fake news’ & uphold ethical journalism. Interested journalists and/or organisations may feel free to meet me at @MIB_India. 2/2 — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 3, 2018 ×

'Fake news' issue: PM Modi steps in, orders withdrawal of press guidelines

Taking a first step to deal with the rising menace of fake news, the Indian government has amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists proposing penalties ranging from suspension to cancellation of accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news”.

While these guidelines, for the time being, will only apply to journalists accredited with the Government of India, there are indications that the government was going to deal with non-accredited journalists engaging in fake news through other departments of the Information & Broadcasting ministry.

While the Indian government is trying to put a deterrent mechanism in place through this latest move, it is expected to ignite a major controversy with apprehensions that the new&nbsp;guidelines could be misused to muzzle the freedom of press.

The government said that once complaints of instances of fake news are received, those related to print media will be referred to the Press Council of India (PCI) while those pertaining to the electronic media will be referred to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA). These two bodies will then have to determine within a period of 15 days whether the news-item referred to in the complaint was fake or not.

As soon as the complaint is registered and sent for inquiry to PCI or NBA, the accreditation of the journalist in question will get suspended and will remain suspended during the period of inquiry.

In case the PCI or the NBA confirm the publication or telecast of fake news, the accreditation of the journalist in question will be “suspended for a period of 6 months in the first violation and for one year in the case of 2nd violation and in the event of 3rd violation it would be cancelled permanently”.

The government also said that the Accreditation Committee of the Press Information Bureau, which consists of representative of both PCI and NBA, shall invariably be reached out to for validating any accreditation request of any news media agency.

“While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the `Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ and `Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards’ prescribed by the PCI and NBA respectively are adhered to by the journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines,” the Information & Broadcasting ministry said.

Significantly, the Indian government’s move came on a day when Malaysia pushed a law through its Parliament making fake news punishable with a maximum six-year jail term.

Instances of fake news have become commonplace in India, particularly on the social media and in vernacular press. Even the national media has often fallen prey to this menace. Sources in the Indian government said that the problem appears to be assuming alarming proportions and that was why some action needed to be taken and that is what has led to these latest amendment in guidelines.

The penalties range from the suspension to cancellation of accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting 'fake news'

Taking a first step to deal with the rising menace of fake news, the Indian government has amended the guidelines for accreditation of journalists proposing penalties ranging from suspension to cancellation of accreditation of journalists found guilty of reporting “fake news”. While these guidelines, for the time being, will only apply to journalists accredited with the Government of India, there are indications that the government was going to deal with non-accredited journalists engaging in fake news through other departments of the Information & Broadcasting ministry. While the Indian government is trying to put a deterrent mechanism in place through this latest move, it is expected to ignite a major controversy with apprehensions that the new guidelines could be misused to muzzle the freedom of press. The government said that once complaints of instances of fake news are received, those related to print media will be referred to the Press Council of India (PCI) while those pertaining to the electronic media will be referred to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA). These two bodies will then have to determine within a period of 15 days whether the news-item referred to in the complaint was fake or not. As soon as the complaint is registered and sent for inquiry to PCI or NBA, the accreditation of the journalist in question will get suspended and will remain suspended during the period of inquiry. In case the PCI or the NBA confirm the publication or telecast of fake news, the accreditation of the journalist in question will be “suspended for a period of 6 months in the first violation and for one year in the case of 2nd violation and in the event of 3rd violation it would be cancelled permanently”. The government also said that the Accreditation Committee of the Press Information Bureau, which consists of representative of both PCI and NBA, shall invariably be reached out to for validating any accreditation request of any news media agency. “While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the `Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ and `Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards’ prescribed by the PCI and NBA respectively are adhered to by the journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines,” the Information & Broadcasting ministry said. Significantly, the Indian government’s move came on a day when Malaysia pushed a law through its Parliament making fake news punishable with a maximum six-year jail term. Instances of fake news have become commonplace in India, particularly on the social media and in vernacular press. Even the national media has often fallen prey to this menace. Sources in the Indian government said that the problem appears to be assuming alarming proportions and that was why some action needed to be taken and that is what has led to these latest amendment in guidelines.

Government proposes penalties for journalists reporting 'fake news'

Postcard News founder Mahesh Hegde was arrested by the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch on Thursday on charges of spreading fake news.

Police Commissioner Suneel Kumar said the arrest was made based upon a complaint filed against one of the stories on his website, which maliciously claimed that a Jain monk was attacked by Muslim youths.

The FIR against Hegde was filed by Gaffar Baig, the General Secretary of Congress' Bengaluru District Committee, on March 18.

Based upon the prima facie evidence, the police booked Hegde under IPC sections 153a (wantonly giving provocation with the intent to cause riot), 34 (common intention) and 120b (for criminal conspiracy), and section 66 (dishonest act) of the Information Technology Act.

“Yes, it is true, he was arrested based on the Jain muni post. The Jain muni was hit by a bike while he was walking on the road. He was not hit by Muslim youth as claimed by Hegde,” said the police official.

Based on a complaint the police have registered an FIR and are investigating the matter.

A social media post, both by Postcard news and founder Hegde stated, "Very sad news, yesterday in Karnataka Jain muni attacked by Muslim youth …. No one is safe in Siddaramaiah’s Karnataka.”

“The Jain muni was hit by a drunk man riding a motorcycle. The Jain muni was on his was to Shravanabelagola for the Mahamatsabhisheka. He had sustained minor injuries on his right shoulder and arm and also on his face. Locals administered first aid and sent them to Shravanabelagola. Upon learning that the Jain Muni was hurt, postcard news published a story alleging that the Jain Muni was attacked by Muslim youth. This was published on social media. Many people have read this story. This was intended to tarnish the reputation of the government and also disrupt communal harmony,” states the FIR.

The FIR against Hegde was filed by Gaffar Baig, the General Secretary of Congress' Bengaluru District Committee, on March 18.

Postcard News founder Mahesh Hegde was arrested by the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch on Thursday on charges of spreading fake news. Police Commissioner Suneel Kumar said the arrest was made based upon a complaint filed against one of the stories on his website, which maliciously claimed that a Jain monk was attacked by Muslim youths. The FIR against Hegde was filed by Gaffar Baig, the General Secretary of Congress' Bengaluru District Committee, on March 18. Based upon the prima facie evidence, the police booked Hegde under IPC sections 153a (wantonly giving provocation with the intent to cause riot), 34 (common intention) and 120b (for criminal conspiracy), and section 66 (dishonest act) of the Information Technology Act. “Yes, it is true, he was arrested based on the Jain muni post. The Jain muni was hit by a bike while he was walking on the road. He was not hit by Muslim youth as claimed by Hegde,” said the police official. Based on a complaint the police have registered an FIR and are investigating the matter. A social media post, both by Postcard news and founder Hegde stated, "Very sad news, yesterday in Karnataka Jain muni attacked by Muslim youth …. No one is safe in Siddaramaiah’s Karnataka.” “The Jain muni was hit by a drunk man riding a motorcycle. The Jain muni was on his was to Shravanabelagola for the Mahamatsabhisheka. He had sustained minor injuries on his right shoulder and arm and also on his face. Locals administered first aid and sent them to Shravanabelagola. Upon learning that the Jain Muni was hurt, postcard news published a story alleging that the Jain Muni was attacked by Muslim youth. This was published on social media. Many people have read this story. This was intended to tarnish the reputation of the government and also disrupt communal harmony,” states the FIR.

Postcard News founder Mahesh Vikram Hegde arrested

Faced with complaints by users about fake news to the use of the network to manipulate elections, Facebook Inc said on Thursday it had begun "fact-checking" photos and videos to reduce the hoaxes and false news stories.

Facebook has also faced an uproar about the harvesting of 50 million people's Facebook data by the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Manipulated photos and videos are another growing problem on social media.

Tessa Lyons, a product manager at Facebook told the press that fact-checking began on Wednesday in France with assistance from the news organisation AFP and will soon expand to more countries and partners.

Lyons did not, however, specify what criteria Facebook or AFP would use to evaluate photos and videos, or how much a photo could be edited or doctored before it is ruled fake.

She said the project is a part of "efforts to fight false news around elections," she said.

A representative for AFP could not immediately be reached for comment.

Samidh Chakrabarti, another Facebook product manager, said in the briefing that the company had begun to "proactively" look for election-related disinformation rather than waiting for reports from users, helping it to move more quickly.

Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief security officer, said in the briefing that the company was concerned not only about false facts but also other kinds of fakery.

He said Facebook wanted to reduce "fake audiences," which he described as using "tricks" to artificially expand the perception of support for a particular message, as well as "false narratives," such as headlines and language that "exploit disagreements."

After a tumultuous two weeks, shares of Facebook closed up 4.4 per cent at $159.79 on Thursday, down more than 13 per cent from March 16, when Facebook disclosed the Cambridge Analytica data leak and sparked fears of stricter regulation.

Other ways tried by Facebook to curb the spread of fake news include using third-party fact-checkers to identify them, and then giving such stories less prominence in the Facebook News Feed when people share links to them.

Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in January that Facebook would prioritise "trustworthy" news by using member surveys to identify high-quality outlets.

Faced with complaints by users about fake news to the use of the network to manipulate elections, Facebook Inc said on Thursday it had begun 'fact-checking" photos and videos to reduce the hoaxes and false news stories

Faced with complaints by users about fake news to the use of the network to manipulate elections, Facebook Inc said on Thursday it had begun "fact-checking" photos and videos to reduce the hoaxes and false news stories. Facebook has also faced an uproar about the harvesting of 50 million people's Facebook data by the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Manipulated photos and videos are another growing problem on social media. Tessa Lyons, a product manager at Facebook told the press that fact-checking began on Wednesday in France with assistance from the news organisation AFP and will soon expand to more countries and partners. Lyons did not, however, specify what criteria Facebook or AFP would use to evaluate photos and videos, or how much a photo could be edited or doctored before it is ruled fake. She said the project is a part of "efforts to fight false news around elections," she said. A representative for AFP could not immediately be reached for comment. Samidh Chakrabarti, another Facebook product manager, said in the briefing that the company had begun to "proactively" look for election-related disinformation rather than waiting for reports from users, helping it to move more quickly. Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief security officer, said in the briefing that the company was concerned not only about false facts but also other kinds of fakery. He said Facebook wanted to reduce "fake audiences," which he described as using "tricks" to artificially expand the perception of support for a particular message, as well as "false narratives," such as headlines and language that "exploit disagreements." After a tumultuous two weeks, shares of Facebook closed up 4.4 per cent at $159.79 on Thursday, down more than 13 per cent from March 16, when Facebook disclosed the Cambridge Analytica data leak and sparked fears of stricter regulation. Other ways tried by Facebook to curb the spread of fake news include using third-party fact-checkers to identify them, and then giving such stories less prominence in the Facebook News Feed when people share links to them. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in January that Facebook would prioritise "trustworthy" news by using member surveys to identify high-quality outlets.

Facebook begins 'fact-checking' photos and videos

Alphabet Inc&#39;s Google is launching the Google News Initiative, to weed out fake news online and during breaking news situations, it said in a blog post on Tuesday.

Google said it plans to spend $300 million over the next three years to improve the accuracy and quality of news appearing on its platforms.

The changes come as Google, Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc face a backlash over their role during the US&nbsp;presidential election by allowing the spread of false and often malicious information that might have swayed voters toward Republican candidate Donald Trump.

In a separate blog post, Google said it was launching a tool to help subscribe to news publications.&nbsp;

Subscribe with Google will let users buy a subscription on participating news sites using their Google account and manage all their subscriptions in one place.

Google said it would launch the news subscription with the Financial Times, the New York Times, Le Figaro and The Telegraph among others. The search engine said it plans to add more news publishers soon. 
&nbsp;

Subscribe with Google will let users buy a subscription on participating news sites using their Google account and manage all their subscriptions in one place

Alphabet Inc's Google is launching the Google News Initiative, to weed out fake news online and during breaking news situations, it said in a blog post on Tuesday. Google said it plans to spend $300 million over the next three years to improve the accuracy and quality of news appearing on its platforms. The changes come as Google, Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc face a backlash over their role during the US presidential election by allowing the spread of false and often malicious information that might have swayed voters toward Republican candidate Donald Trump. In a separate blog post, Google said it was launching a tool to help subscribe to news publications. Subscribe with Google will let users buy a subscription on participating news sites using their Google account and manage all their subscriptions in one place. Google said it would launch the news subscription with the Financial Times, the New York Times, Le Figaro and The Telegraph among others. The search engine said it plans to add more news publishers soon.

Google launches news initiative to combat fake news

Singapore on Wednesday began a public hearing on how to tackle the threat of fake news, with speakers suggesting measures ranging from blocking websites to balancing the interests of national security and free speech.

The wealthy city state is among the countries looking to introduce legislation to rein in fake news, a trend that has stirred concern that such laws could be used to exert government control over media.

A panel set up to consider possible measures, including legislation, drew 164 written responses from the public, a record for reactions to such a committee on any issue.

&quot;Often times, and understandably so, there are worries about how it may stifle the freedom of speech,&quot; Carol Soon, a specialist in communications and new media at the National University of Singapore, said of legislation.

There should be &quot;fine balancing of the interests of protecting national security and public order and the interests of enabling people to speak up and have meaningful discussion pertaining to governance&quot;, she added.

She was among 79 people asked to speak in parliament over the eight days set for the hearing, which would make it the longest in Singapore&#39;s history.

Many of the examples of fake news cited in a Singapore government paper on deliberate online falsehoods published in January came from abroad.

However, the government said Singapore was vulnerable because of its position as a global financial hub, its mixed ethnic and religious population and citizens&#39; widespread internet access.

Singapore, which ranks 151 among 180 countries rated in the World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders, a non-government group that promotes freedom of information.

&quot;Deliberate online falsehoods are a serious global problem,&quot; panel chairman Charles Chong, the deputy speaker of parliament, said at the start of the hearing, adding that they affected Singapore in many different ways.

Other speakers urged the Singapore panel to take firm action against fake news.

Mathew Mathews, a social policy researcher at the National University of Singapore, proposed that the government &quot;stop the access of the local population to media sites which feature deliberate online falsehoods that threaten Singapore&#39;s social harmony&quot;.

Others felt such action would be ineffective.

&quot;It is no longer possible to stop &#39;fake news&#39; simply by blocking websites or publications because social media utilises person-to-person sharing,&quot; said Andre Ahchak, communications director in the office of Singapore&#39;s Roman Catholic archbishop.

Foreign entities, such as the European Values Think-Tank and the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, are due to make presentations later in the week.

The wealthy city state is among the countries looking to introduce legislation to rein in fake news

Singapore on Wednesday began a public hearing on how to tackle the threat of fake news, with speakers suggesting measures ranging from blocking websites to balancing the interests of national security and free speech. The wealthy city state is among the countries looking to introduce legislation to rein in fake news, a trend that has stirred concern that such laws could be used to exert government control over media. A panel set up to consider possible measures, including legislation, drew 164 written responses from the public, a record for reactions to such a committee on any issue. "Often times, and understandably so, there are worries about how it may stifle the freedom of speech," Carol Soon, a specialist in communications and new media at the National University of Singapore, said of legislation. There should be "fine balancing of the interests of protecting national security and public order and the interests of enabling people to speak up and have meaningful discussion pertaining to governance", she added. She was among 79 people asked to speak in parliament over the eight days set for the hearing, which would make it the longest in Singapore's history. Many of the examples of fake news cited in a Singapore government paper on deliberate online falsehoods published in January came from abroad. However, the government said Singapore was vulnerable because of its position as a global financial hub, its mixed ethnic and religious population and citizens' widespread internet access. Singapore, which ranks 151 among 180 countries rated in the World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders, a non-government group that promotes freedom of information. "Deliberate online falsehoods are a serious global problem," panel chairman Charles Chong, the deputy speaker of parliament, said at the start of the hearing, adding that they affected Singapore in many different ways. Other speakers urged the Singapore panel to take firm action against fake news. Mathew Mathews, a social policy researcher at the National University of Singapore, proposed that the government "stop the access of the local population to media sites which feature deliberate online falsehoods that threaten Singapore's social harmony". Others felt such action would be ineffective. "It is no longer possible to stop 'fake news' simply by blocking websites or publications because social media utilises person-to-person sharing," said Andre Ahchak, communications director in the office of Singapore's Roman Catholic archbishop. Foreign entities, such as the European Values Think-Tank and the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, are due to make presentations later in the week.

Singapore starts landmark public hearing on fake news

Fake news is already a challenge and now a sudden increase in fake videos online have made the battle all the more difficult. Used as another malicious tool on the Internet, users are now increasingly creating and sharing false videos to report misinformation, manipulate public opinion, and promote false propaganda.&nbsp;

It has been found that the Internet is now flooded with a lot of artificial intelligence-powered video tools that have made face -swapping in videos easier than ever before. And these video tools are doing the job with such a precision that it could be difficult for anyone to spot if the video is morphed.&nbsp;

While there are many such online software, FakeApp has gained a lot of momentum over the last few weeks.&nbsp;

There is no information available as to who created this app, but it has been discovered that the app was designed using a Google software. And ever since it appeared on Reddit early this year, it&rsquo;s been downloaded more than 120,000 times.

Some of the fake videos created by Youtuber derpfakes using the much-discussed FakeApp includes the Russian president Vladimir Putin; another one features American comedian Kate McKinnon&#39;s face swapped with that of Hillary Clinton. In another, American actor Alec Baldwin turned into Donald Trump.

A quick search on the Internet will give you thousands of such results and you could find it difficult to spot the real from the fake.&nbsp;&nbsp;

These fake videos are now on the rise and it&rsquo;s becoming a matter of grave concern as these can be used to malign politicians, to create fake porn videos of celebrities, to promote false propaganda, for political sabotage, and to frame people

What is more worrying is that these tools are now within easy reach of basic Internet users.&nbsp;

Apps like Snapchat are already allowing users basic face swapping, and now these artificial intelligence-driven video tools have made advanced-level face-swapping techniques pretty simple for users like you and me. It&rsquo;s now just a few taps away. True that the technique still isn&rsquo;t that simple, but it definitely doesn&rsquo;t remain rocket science anymore.

While technology has made things easier for us, it has also opened doors for misuse. Companies like Pornhub, Twitter and Reddit have already started to ban false videos on their platforms, but the battle doesn&rsquo;t end here.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

The Internet is now flooded with a lot of artificial intelligence-powered video tools that have made face -swapping in videos easier than ever before.

Fake news is already a challenge and now a sudden increase in fake videos online have made the battle all the more difficult. Used as another malicious tool on the Internet, users are now increasingly creating and sharing false videos to report misinformation, manipulate public opinion, and promote false propaganda. It has been found that the Internet is now flooded with a lot of artificial intelligence-powered video tools that have made face -swapping in videos easier than ever before. And these video tools are doing the job with such a precision that it could be difficult for anyone to spot if the video is morphed. While there are many such online software, FakeApp has gained a lot of momentum over the last few weeks. There is no information available as to who created this app, but it has been discovered that the app was designed using a Google software. And ever since it appeared on Reddit early this year, it’s been downloaded more than 120,000 times. Some of the fake videos created by Youtuber derpfakes using the much-discussed FakeApp includes the Russian president Vladimir Putin; another one features American comedian Kate McKinnon's face swapped with that of Hillary Clinton. In another, American actor Alec Baldwin turned into Donald Trump. A quick search on the Internet will give you thousands of such results and you could find it difficult to spot the real from the fake. These fake videos are now on the rise and it’s becoming a matter of grave concern as these can be used to malign politicians, to create fake porn videos of celebrities, to promote false propaganda, for political sabotage, and to frame people What is more worrying is that these tools are now within easy reach of basic Internet users. Apps like Snapchat are already allowing users basic face swapping, and now these artificial intelligence-driven video tools have made advanced-level face-swapping techniques pretty simple for users like you and me. It’s now just a few taps away. True that the technique still isn’t that simple, but it definitely doesn’t remain rocket science anymore. While technology has made things easier for us, it has also opened doors for misuse. Companies like Pornhub, Twitter and Reddit have already started to ban false videos on their platforms, but the battle doesn’t end here. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why AI-driven video tools have become dangerous

By&nbsp;Jon Roozenbeek* and Sander van der Linden**

The term &ldquo;fake news&rdquo; is everywhere these days. After gaining steam during the 2016 US election, it&rsquo;s become a catch-all phrase used by people from across the political spectrum. Yet &ldquo;fake&rdquo; stories &ndash; or stories that have been entirely made up &ndash; have been around since the dawn of man. And on top of that, stories don&rsquo;t have to be completely fake to be misleading. Terms such as &ldquo;propaganda&rdquo;, &ldquo;disinformation&rdquo;, &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; and &ldquo;post-truth&rdquo; are used by many people, as though they mean the same thing.

In practice, most people are concerned about &ldquo;disinformation&rdquo;: that is, misinformation coupled with the intent to deceive. Today, it&rsquo;s easier than ever to mislead people. In the online world, posing as a credible news producer requires a bit of money and dedication &ndash; but it&rsquo;s not hard.

Meanwhile, people&rsquo;s trust in the media is declining, and a majority of Americans say that fake news has left them confused about basic facts. Add to that the growing problem of computational propaganda &ndash; where Twitter bots or other social media tools amplify certain hashtags or messages to influence what&rsquo;s trending &ndash; and the current landscape becomes very difficult for people to navigate.

Fighting back

There are many ways companies and governments are trying to combat this growing threat. Google and Facebook are tweaking their algorithms to stop promoting &ldquo;fake news&rdquo;. France is in the process of passing a controversial &ldquo;fake news law&rdquo;, which limits media activity during election time. And the UK government has announced it&rsquo;s setting up an &ldquo;anti-fake news&rdquo; unit. Yet each of these efforts comes with its own problems.

From our perspective, as researchers studying the fake news phenomenon, we think the best way to fight the bad effects is at the individual level. So, we&rsquo;re experimenting by combining psychology with technology in a new area of research, which some scholars are calling &ldquo;technocognition&rdquo;.

So far, one of us found that it&rsquo;s possible to &ldquo;inoculate&rdquo; people against misinformation by warning and exposing them to a weakened version of the &ldquo;real&rdquo; misleading argument, and then revealing to them why it&rsquo;s misleading. In other words, a small dose of fake news can inoculate you against it &ndash; just like a real vaccination would protect you against a disease.

Tricks of the trade

There are many reasons why people produce disinformation: they can be financial, political, personal and even &ldquo;just for fun&rdquo;. But the techniques that are being used to mislead people are remarkably similar across the board.

One of the simplest is impersonation: imitating a public figure or organisation with the intent of misleading the public. They might also create &ldquo;emotional content&rdquo;, which deliberately plays on people&rsquo;s basic emotions &ndash; such as fear or anger &ndash; to get a response. Next, there&rsquo;s &ldquo;polarisation&rdquo; &ndash; when fake news merchants stir up existing political tensions, to drive people further apart.&nbsp;

Then there are conspiracies: misleading theories, which often hold a large organisation responsible for some kind of covert agenda &ndash; like saying NASA faked the moon landing to win the space race. Then, people whose credibility is under attack will often try to discredit their opponents by engaging in &ldquo;whataboutism&rdquo; or personal attacks. And lastly we have trolling, which involves disrupting discussions and provoking reactions from people, combining all of the techniques mentioned above.

Good news, bad news

When people use these techniques themselves, it really improves their ability to recognise them in other contexts. So, together with DROG (a Dutch organisation working against the spread of disinformation), we developed an online game called Bad News (click here to play it), where players use misleading tactics to build their own fake news empire.

The game is free to play in any browser and on any device and takes about 15 minutes to complete. You start as an anonymous Twitter user who goes professional by starting their own news site, and gradually becomes a fake news tycoon. On the way, you earn badges and learn how the techniques mentioned earlier can be used to suit your purposes.

We figured that once you know how the magic trick works, you won&rsquo;t be fooled by it again. So we put our ideas to the test by doing a pilot study in a high school in the Netherlands. Some classes were assigned to the treatment group and played our game. Others were assigned to the control group, and didn&rsquo;t play the game.

Although our study was only a starting point, the results so far have been positive: students who played the game thought the fake news articles they read afterwards were less reliable. We hope that our game will play a role in stopping the spread of misleading information: just as misinformation replicates, vaccines can spread, too. The more people that play the game, the further the vaccine spreads &ndash; until one day, we may achieve societal resistance against fake news.

*Jon Roozenbeek is a PhD Candidate in Slavonic Studies, University of Cambridge

**Sander van der Linden is the Director of Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab, University of Cambridge

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Researchers have developed a game to 'vaccinate' people against fake news – by showing them how to become a fake news mogul.

By Jon Roozenbeek* and Sander van der Linden** The term “fake news” is everywhere these days. After gaining steam during the 2016 US election, it’s become a catch-all phrase used by people from across the political spectrum. Yet “fake” stories – or stories that have been entirely made up – have been around since the dawn of man. And on top of that, stories don’t have to be completely fake to be misleading. Terms such as “propaganda”, “disinformation”, “misinformation” and “post-truth” are used by many people, as though they mean the same thing. In practice, most people are concerned about “disinformation”: that is, misinformation coupled with the intent to deceive. Today, it’s easier than ever to mislead people. In the online world, posing as a credible news producer requires a bit of money and dedication – but it’s not hard. Meanwhile, people’s trust in the media is declining, and a majority of Americans say that fake news has left them confused about basic facts. Add to that the growing problem of computational propaganda – where Twitter bots or other social media tools amplify certain hashtags or messages to influence what’s trending – and the current landscape becomes very difficult for people to navigate. Fighting back There are many ways companies and governments are trying to combat this growing threat. Google and Facebook are tweaking their algorithms to stop promoting “fake news”. France is in the process of passing a controversial “fake news law”, which limits media activity during election time. And the UK government has announced it’s setting up an “anti-fake news” unit. Yet each of these efforts comes with its own problems. From our perspective, as researchers studying the fake news phenomenon, we think the best way to fight the bad effects is at the individual level. So, we’re experimenting by combining psychology with technology in a new area of research, which some scholars are calling “technocognition”. So far, one of us found that it’s possible to “inoculate” people against misinformation by warning and exposing them to a weakened version of the “real” misleading argument, and then revealing to them why it’s misleading. In other words, a small dose of fake news can inoculate you against it – just like a real vaccination would protect you against a disease. Tricks of the trade There are many reasons why people produce disinformation: they can be financial, political, personal and even “just for fun”. But the techniques that are being used to mislead people are remarkably similar across the board. One of the simplest is impersonation: imitating a public figure or organisation with the intent of misleading the public. They might also create “emotional content”, which deliberately plays on people’s basic emotions – such as fear or anger – to get a response. Next, there’s “polarisation” – when fake news merchants stir up existing political tensions, to drive people further apart. Then there are conspiracies: misleading theories, which often hold a large organisation responsible for some kind of covert agenda – like saying NASA faked the moon landing to win the space race. Then, people whose credibility is under attack will often try to discredit their opponents by engaging in “whataboutism” or personal attacks. And lastly we have trolling, which involves disrupting discussions and provoking reactions from people, combining all of the techniques mentioned above. Good news, bad news When people use these techniques themselves, it really improves their ability to recognise them in other contexts. So, together with DROG (a Dutch organisation working against the spread of disinformation), we developed an online game called Bad News (click here to play it), where players use misleading tactics to build their own fake news empire. The game is free to play in any browser and on any device and takes about 15 minutes to complete. You start as an anonymous Twitter user who goes professional by starting their own news site, and gradually becomes a fake news tycoon. On the way, you earn badges and learn how the techniques mentioned earlier can be used to suit your purposes. We figured that once you know how the magic trick works, you won’t be fooled by it again. So we put our ideas to the test by doing a pilot study in a high school in the Netherlands. Some classes were assigned to the treatment group and played our game. Others were assigned to the control group, and didn’t play the game. Although our study was only a starting point, the results so far have been positive: students who played the game thought the fake news articles they read afterwards were less reliable. We hope that our game will play a role in stopping the spread of misleading information: just as misinformation replicates, vaccines can spread, too. The more people that play the game, the further the vaccine spreads – until one day, we may achieve societal resistance against fake news. *Jon Roozenbeek is a PhD Candidate in Slavonic Studies, University of Cambridge **Sander van der Linden is the Director of Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab, University of Cambridge (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Here is a game to protect you from fake news

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