FACT-CHECKING UNIT (FCU)
- According to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is responsible for disseminating information regarding government policies, schemes, and programs through various communication channels.
- In executing this duty, the Ministry promotes Government of India policies, initiatives, schemes, and programs via press releases, press conferences, webinars, publication of books, etc. To fulfill this essential role, the Ministry operates several attached and subordinate offices, including the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
- A crucial aspect of the Ministry's responsibility in providing public information about the Government of India's operations is combating the spread of fake, false, and misleading information. The PIB has long been engaged in this task by widely distributing accurate and reliable information and issuing rebuttals, among other measures.
- In the era of social media where information dissemination occurs rapidly, the proliferation of fake and manipulated information, particularly regarding the operations of a democratically elected government, poses significant risks to society.
- Such misinformation has the potential to escalate social, economic, and political tensions, erode public trust in democratic institutions, and even jeopardize the safety of citizens
- The Press Information Bureau has been proactive in addressing the issue of fake news concerning the Government of India.
- In November 2019, the PIB established a Fact Check Unit (FCU) specifically aimed at tackling fake news related to the Government of India, its ministries, departments, public sector undertakings, and other central government organizations.
- This unit is responsible for verifying claims regarding government policies, regulations, announcements, and measures. Utilizing a robust fact-checking process, the PIB Fact Check Unit works to dispel myths, rumours, and false claims, providing the public with accurate and reliable information.
- The unit is led by a senior officer at the DG/ADG level of the Indian Information Service (IIS), with day-to-day operations managed by IIS officers at various levels.
- The Unit reports to the Principal Director General of the PIB, who serves as the Principal Spokesperson for the Government of India
Users submit requests through WhatsApp, email, or a web portal. Each request received is treated as a 'Query.' These queries are categorized by the Unit based on their relevance to matters concerning the Government of India. Only queries related to the Government of India are considered actionable, while others are deemed irrelevant for action. The information in question undergoes rigorous verification through multiple layers of cross-checking, utilizing government open-source information, technological tools, and verification from the relevant Government of India organization.
If the Unit encounters information that it determines should be publicly debunked for the benefit of the Indian people, it publishes a 'Fact Check' on its social media platforms after thorough investigation and verification from official and authoritative sources. Often, a single fact check may stem from multiple queries.
Fact-checked content can be categorized into the following three groups:
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Fake: Any factually incorrect news, content, or information related to the Government of India, deliberately or inadvertently spread, that may deceive or manipulate the audience, with or without the intention to potentially cause harm, is labeled as fake.
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Misleading: Any information presented, whether partially true, with selective facts or figures, or distorted facts or figures, with the intention to deceive or mislead the recipient, is categorized as misleading.
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True: Any information found to be factually correct after investigation is classified as true
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For Prelims: Current events of national and international importance.
For Mains: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT
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Previous Year Questions
1.Democracy's superior virtue lies in the fact that it calls into activity (UPSC 2017)
A.the intelligence and character of ordinary men and women.
B.the methods for strengthening executive leadership.
C.a superior individual with dynamism and vision.
D.a band of dedicated party workers.
Answer (A)
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