Supreme Court Stays Centre’s Notification on Setting Up ‘Fact Check Unit’ Under PIB To Combat Fake News

On Thursday, March 21, the Supreme Court stayed the Centre's notification on setting up a fact-checking unit to monitor fake content on social media platforms concerning its business under the recently amended Information Technology Rules.

This comes after the Narendra Modi government notified the fact check unit under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Wednesday to monitor online content pertaining to the government for accuracy. The fact-check unit has been notified under IT Rules of 2021 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

"The central government hereby notifies the Fact Check Unit under the Press Information Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as the fact check unit of the Central Government for the purposes of the said sub-clause, in respect of any business of the Central Government," the notification said.