Assam govt initiates action against web portal amid rising fake news

Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna held a discussion on the rapid increase of news web portals in the State in his office on Friday. Commissioner and Secretary of Information and Public Relations Department, Assam Preetom Saikia and Director Anupam Choudhury were present in the discussion. It has come to the notice of the Government that most of the times, some news web portals have been involved in disseminating fake, false and fabricated news which have misled the general public.

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Besides, there is a huge possibility of these having an adverse effect, particularly on the upcoming generation. False information and fake news circulated in news web portals and social media may always cause harm to our society. Moreover, it is also observed that social media platforms are being exploited by many for the purpose of vested interest and spreading false and fake news. Chief Secretary directed to keep a strict vigil on such news web portals and social media platforms.

Fake news, also known as junk news, pseudo-news, alternative facts or hoax news, is a form of news consisting of deliberate disinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional news media or online social media. Digital news has brought back and increased the usage of fake news, or yellow journalism. Fake news is written and published usually with the intent to mislead in order to damage an agency, entity, or person, and/or gain financially or politically, often using sensationalist, dishonest, or outright fabricated headlines to increase readership. Similarly, clickbait stories and headlines earn advertising revenue from this activity.

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