Govt warns WhatsApp over fake news triggering violence

Worried over recent instances of lynching of innocent people in different parts of the country due to circulation of false news on WhatsApp, the Centre on Tuesday directed the social media giant to take steps to prevent the proliferation of fake news.

"The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has taken serious note of these irresponsible messages and their circulation in such platforms. Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/sensational messages," said a statement from the ministry.

The government has also directed the Facebook-owned company to take immediate steps to prevent the spread of false news through the application of appropriate technology.

The warning to WhatsApp comes in the wake of a spate of incidents involving lynching of innocent people because of certain "fake and motivated" messages being circulated on the widely used messaging app.

Terming the "unfortunate killings" in states like Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura and West Bengal "deeply painful and regrettable", the IT ministry said the abuse of platforms like WhatsApp "for repeated circulation of such provocative content" is a matter of deep concern.

"WhatsApp management must take immediate action to end this menace and ensure that their platform is not used for such malafide activities," the statement said.

"While the law and order machinery is taking steps to apprehend the culprits, the abuse of platform like WhatsApp for repeated circulation of such provocative content is equally a matter of deep concern.

"It has also been pointed out that such platform cannot evade accountability and responsibility specially when good technological inventions are abused by some miscreants who resort to provocative messages which lead to spread of violence," it added.