Maligned by Misinformation
Photo: Karan Madhok
Media literacy is an urgent need in a country as diverse and complex as India, where the unchecked spread of misinformation carries profound consequences for the very fabric of democracy and social harmony.
As a response to the terrorist attack near Pahalgam, Indian forces carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’ on the night of May 7, which Indian government officials claimed targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan. But as real lives were being claimed in these strikes, a different kind of battle was taking place online—a flood of fake news and misinformation. Several social media users, especially on X (formerly Twitter), shared old videos of airstrikes from the Israel-Palestine conflict, falsely claiming they were from India’s operation. One widely circulated image showed a damaged fighter jet, which was wrongly claimed to be an Indian Rafale aircraft. However, fact-checkers quickly exposed the truth. Mohammad Zubair, the founder of Alt News, clarified that the image was actually of a Pakistani Air Force training aircraft that had crashed during a drill—not during any strike.
India is no stranger to rumour. Technology may have changed how rumour travels, but rumour is an old phenomenon. Indian scholars have already explored rumours’ relationship to violence in the context of the violence against Sikhs in 1984. The literature on this relationship continues to be relevant even though rumour now travels in new vehicles. In short, the idea that rumour can trigger violence is far older than digital communication.
In the past decade, India has seen multiple rounds of communal violence in which rumour and information technology have played a role. The ‘North-eastern exodus’ in 2012 was said to be caused by text messages circulating rumours of upcoming violence against people of north-eastern origin. It resulted in the first documented government shutdown of communication (in this case, texting). The communal violence occurring in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, was attributed to Facebook. In 2014, the lynching of Mohsin Shaikh by a mob was also attributed to social media (Narrain 2017).
A 2021 study published in the Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research [AJPOR] scanned 419 instances of social media fake news, to find that online media—and not traditional sources like print and broadcast news—accounted for the majority of misinformation. Health, religion, and politics were the most common subjects of fake news. Another 2021 study in AJPOR found that Facebook (81 per cent) and Twitter/X (49 per cent) were the primary social media channels for the spread of misinformation. Half of these fake reports were in video format, and about a third were images with text.
As per the recent report by Kantar and the Internet and Mobile Association of India [IAMAI], India is on track to surpass 900 million active Internet users by 2025. Clearly, Media Literacy is an urgent need of the hour in our country, and should be introduced in schools and colleges.
But what is Media Literacy? According to Sharbani Banerjee, former chief reporter at The Statesman, media literacy is about understanding and analyzing the media we consume every day. Banerjee, who has 17 years of experience in the media industry, says, “In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information from social media posts, viral videos, to several advertisements, it is harder to distinguish between fact and fiction.” Banerjee adds that digital literacy or media literacy is about figuring out whether the information we are consuming is genuine or not.
“In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information from social media posts, viral videos, to several advertisements, it is harder to distinguish between fact and fiction.” Banerjee adds that digital literacy or media literacy is about figuring out whether the information we are consuming is genuine or not.
Ankita Deshkar, a fact checker and copy editor at The Indian Express, told me that, “Today, when there is a rise in news channels over social media platforms too, media literacy plays a key role.” Deshkar emphasizes that with media literacy, one can make informed decisions and share information responsibly.
With the increase in cases of digital arrests and online fraud, Deshkar believes that the government should initiate methods to make people aware of digital literacy. “The Indian government should promote transparency, enforce stronger laws and improve digital awareness among the masses,” she says.
Replying to a question in an interview published in November 2024 in The Hindu, Alt-News editor and co-founder Pratik Sinha recommended teaching media literacy at the school level in India. Sinha said, “We have to have media and information literacy classes in schools where children learn how to look at different sources of information and process them.”
As per recent data, India ranks around 105th in the world literacy index. The literacy rate in India is approximately 76.32 per cent, with a noticeable gap between male and female rates. Although India has improved its position in terms of literacy, it must work on media literacy, too, which will help people understand and think critically about the information they see every day on news channels, social media platforms, or other media, including advertisements.
Some successful models of media literacy implemented in education systems exist overseas. Finland, for example, is among the few countries emphasizing teaching media literacy to school children. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Valtteri Kela, who teaches at the French Finnish school of Helsinki, said that media literacy is not one single subject in Finland, but taught as a basic skill. “In literature class, students learn about fake news, source analysis and media criticism. Whereas in math, they learn about statistics and algorithms,” Kela added.
In the same broadcast, Valentina Uitto, who teaches history, says students in Finland are taught about images and how photos are edited in art classes. She that students should not just learn the subject matter but also analytical skills, like who produced it and for what purpose.
Closer to home, Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Usmani, a faculty member at the AJK Mass Communication and Research Centre in New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia, explained to me that the first step in media literacy is “unlearning”. “We guide students to re-evaluate their existing beliefs and information critically,” he says.
Usmani, who teaches Media Literacy and (Mis)information, points to recent findings illustrating a significant challenge in combating misinformation. “A research paper I encountered revealed that individuals, even when aware of the falsehood of information, continue to disseminate it,” he says. “The fact that acknowledged inaccuracies do not deter people from sharing is a major concern.”
Anurag Singh Tomar, a student of Mass Communication at AJK MCRC, told me that media literacy was a need of the hour: “A major issue today is that people receive random messages on WhatsApp or social media and assume them to be true. Without verifying, they forward them to family and friends, often unaware of the consequences. This cycle of misinformation can be dangerous.”
Tomar explains that a lack of digital literacy can lead to severe consequences. “We have seen many cases where fake news on WhatsApp has incited violence. False claims about child kidnappers have led to innocent people being lynched. Similarly, cases of cow vigilantism have resulted in people being beaten to death based on rumours, only for the claims to later be proven false. A recent example is the Aryan Mishra murder case in Haryana, where misinformation spread through WhatsApp-fuelled religious tensions. Regardless of the context, no one has the right to take another person’s life based on religion or any other fabricated narrative.”
Quamar Equbal, who is a freelance journalist and currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Convergent Journalism from the same institution, told me that after studying Media Literacy and Misinformation as an elective paper, his understanding of how information flows in the digital space has significantly improved. “This course has given me an in-depth perspective on critically analyzing content before consuming or sharing it.”
Equbal talked to me about tackling misinformation by verifying the source and spreading it to his audience. “Earlier, I, like many others, would come across news or viral posts and often take them at face value. However, after studying media literacy, I’ve developed a habit of verifying information before engaging with it. If I discover that the content is misleading or false, I make it a point to highlight its inaccuracy. I use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp stories, and status updates to inform others, ensuring they do not fall for misinformation. Additionally, I provide the original, factual context of the misleading content to help people understand the truth.’’
Due to the rise of fake news and deepfake videos, many news publications have dedicated fact-checking units, and governments are also trying to tackle the spread of misinformation and fake news. However, Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the company’s social media platform Facebook will discontinue its fact-checking unit in the USA, and will now rely on community notes for flagging misinformation. Zuckerberg said this is done to promote “free expression”, and added that Meta will focus on bringing civic content back, as promoting political content is harming individuals.
The danger lies not only in the existence of falsehoods but in how quickly and credibly they spread, often outpacing the truth. This danger is amplified in times of serious uncertainty—like the current tensions between India and Pakistan—where the media has to shoulder a greater burden of sensitivity and responsibility towards reporting the truth.
It is not yet known whether such a policy will be implemented in India or not, but it is more crucial than ever for us to learn how to tackle misinformation on an individual level. A tool like TinEye, for example, helps one ot see where else an image has appeared online. If a photo is being used misleadingly, TinEye can often show its original context. The non-partisan website which is one of the most famous factchecking website in US, FactCheck.org checks the accuracy of claims made by politicians and in the news. Similarly, PolitiFact focuses on rating the accuracy of statements by politicians and other public figures, often using a “Truth-O-Meter” scale. A helpful tool for verifying videos is InVid: it can help you analyze video content, check its origin, and see if it has been manipulated.
India has seen a significant rise in independent fact-checking initiatives aimed at combating the growing menace of misinformation and fake news, particularly across digital and social media platforms. Prominent among these are Alt News, which is known for its deep investigative work and data-backed analysis to debunk viral claims, political misinformation, and communal rumours. Another key player is Logically Facts, which uses a combination of AI tools and human expertise to identify and verify misleading information, including state-backed disinformation. WebQoof—a dedicated fact-checking initiative by The Quint—addresses a wide range of fake news circulating online, including health myths, manipulated media, and political propaganda. BOOM Live, one of India’s IFCN-certified fact-checkers, has also gained credibility for its consistent efforts in verifying content in multiple Indian languages and flagging misleading social media trends. These platforms play a crucial role in safeguarding public discourse and empowering users with verified and reliable information.
Furthermore, the Internet Archive, a digital library of the Internet, includes the remarkable Wayback Machine, which allows users to see historical snapshots of websites. This can be invaluable for tracking changes in online information or verifying past content. These resources empower individuals to become more discerning consumers of information in the digital age.
In a country as diverse and complex as India, the unchecked spread of misinformation carries profound consequences—not just for individuals, but for the very fabric of democracy and social harmony. When fake news circulates freely, voters are misled, communities are pitted against one another, and real lives are lost to imagined threats. The danger lies not only in the existence of falsehoods but in how quickly and credibly they spread, often outpacing the truth. This danger is amplified in times of serious uncertainty—like the current tensions between India and Pakistan—where the media has to shoulder a greater burden of sensitivity and responsibility towards reporting the truth.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Misinformation undermines public trust in institutions, erodes the integrity of journalism, and stokes hatred toward vulnerable communities. One of the most haunting examples of misinformation-led violence was the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in 2015. A 50-year-old man from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, Akhlaq, was brutally killed by a mob over a rumour that he had stored beef in his home—a claim that was never proven. His death became a chilling symbol of how misinformation, —when mixed with communal tension and vigilantism—can ignite mob violence and destroy families. As Anurag Singh Tomar pointed out, “People receive random messages on WhatsApp or social media and assume them to be true… This cycle of misinformation can be dangerous.”
Experts like Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha have rightly emphasized the urgency of teaching media literacy from the school level onward, so children can learn how to assess sources and verify claims. Usmani’s idea of “unlearning” is equally crucial—inviting individuals to rethink even their long-held beliefs when faced with credible evidence. Media literacy, as Deshkar explained, gives people the tools to think critically and make informed choices in the digital age.
If we succeed in combating misinformation through robust fact-checking, digital education, and policy reform, India gains more than just accurate newsfeeds. We secure a future where voters are informed, communities are protected from hate, and lives are not lost to lies. Each digitally literate citizen becomes a defender of democracy—and only through this collective awareness can truth stand a fighting chance.
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Arsalan Shamsi is an Independent Journalist Based in New Delhi. You can find him on Instagram: @arsalanshamsi_ and Twitter/X : @arsalanshamsi45.
