Digital news operate in vacuum of regulation, need to break chain of misinformation: INS study

With the environment of digital news operating in a "vacuum of regulation", a study has recommended granting the Press Council of India limited powers to oversee its functioning while taking steps to break the "entire chain of misinformation".

The study 'The Future of News in India: Sustaining Credibility in an Age of Digital Transformation' by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy also said the advertisement-revenue model for digital news may be displaying indications of market failure and to orient, the market for digital news towards the public good, the role and practices of online advertising platforms must be systematically studied by a specialised authority.

The study, discussed by Indian Newspaper Society (INS) recently, said an investigation by the Competition Commission of India into the dominance of online advertising
platforms could be a starting point.

Pointing out that the news industry today stands at a "vital crossroads", the report said the worsening economic health of print journalism "threatens its ability to credibly inform" the public and act as an institutional check upon power.

At the time, the environment of digital news "operates in a vacuum of regulation. The emergence of a post-truth paradigm in public communications and the widespread proliferation of misinformation are barriers to realising the benefits of digital news distribution", it said.

The report highlighted that the entire chain of misinformation needs to be addressed in order to effectively tackle the crisis of misinformation. It suggested a range of legislative, co-regulatory and voluntary measures which provide an integrated framework to prevent the spread of misinformation and enhance reader literacy.

Referring to the legal vacuum in which digital news entities are operating, the report said it needs to be filled in such a manner, which is "sensitive to the nuances" of online discourse.

The report recommended granting limited powers to the Press Council of India, in conjunction with a voluntary registration procedure and the development of a brief, accessible code of conduct as a mechanism for the imposition of editorial responsibility.

"The role of online platforms in the distribution of news should be addressed through targeted interventions based on the design aspects of such platforms," it added.