Dilip Saikia.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: A BJP MP from Assam on Tuesday urged the government to set up a regulatory authority for news portals to ensure accountability, transparency and ethical journalism in the digital space.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Dilip Saikia -- the MP from Darrang-Udalguri -- highlighted the issue of "unchecked rise of dubious digital news channels that thrive on misinformation, distorting facts and harming democracy".
He said many such "dubious" digital news channels had come up in Assam and other parts of the country and were allegedly running as business ventures.
Saikia alleged some journalists of such portals had sometimes been seen crossing the line of journalism and being "involved in blackmailing".
Such news channels sometimes give a "bad name to the country and pose a threat to the country's security", he said.
There have been instances of people committing suicide after being affected by such "malicious" news, he claimed.
"These platforms manipulate public perception, influence politics, and disrupt social harmony. We must act now. I urge the government of India to establish a regulatory authority to ensure accountability, transparency and ethical journalism in the digital news space. A free press must stand for truth, not propaganda," he said.