Fake news, in recent time have assumed alarming proportion in creating fear, insecurity and anxiety among different communities. The fake news have played key role in incidents like mass exodus of North-Eastern people in Bangalore, Muzaffarnagar riots etc. Thus there is need to evolve sound strategy on the part of both government and public to deal with the menace of fake news.

Impact of fake news on polity and society-

• People’s faith in social, print and electronic media reduces which could affect the benefits of these Medias.
• It can lead to violence between two or more communities thereby creating enmity and hatred between them.
• It can disturb the social fabric of the society and tensions among communities persists for long times.
• It reduces the tendencies of cooperation between different communities.
• Political parties try to gain political advantages by polarizing the voter’s mind which further intensifies the tensions between different sections of society.
• Politics of development takes back seat and communal tendencies emerge in politics.

How government should deal with the fake news-

• Government should portray true and analytical picture of original issues to superimpose the same on mind of people.
• Government should have independent agency to verify the data being circulated in social and other media. The agency should be tasked with presenting real facts and figures.
• Government should have mechanism for immediately issuing of notice against sites/people/agencies involved in spreading fake news.
• There should be a provision of effective balances and check of filtering fake posts before it getting viral.
• Social media websites should be made accountable of such activities so that it becomes their responsibility to have better controlin restricting the spread of fake news.
• Government should take active measures for promoting awareness among people about fake news and their consequences.
• Government should enlist penal provisions to perpetrators of fake news if it causes violence or deaths.
• Government should make mandatory for Print and Electronic media to have internal mechanism for verifying incidents, facts and figures.

How public should deal with the fake news-

• Public should verify the accuracy and of reliability of any news or data either from government or any independent agency specifically involved in such task.
• Public should not blindly trust any sensitive news and should not forward it to others.
• Public should inform concerned department about any fake post as soon as they come across. They should act as active vigilant for maintaining peace and harmony in the society.
• NGO’s and other civil society groups can play important role in spreading awareness about the ill effects of fake news.

Conclusion-

Citizens can play the most important role in reducing the menace of fake news as they are the ones who amplify the effects and consequences of fake news. Thus aware and informed citizens are the prior need of bringing positive changes.