Karnataka Government to Establish Fact-Checking Units to Combat False News

The Karnataka government, led by the Congress party, has decided to establish fact-checking units to counter false news and propaganda. IT Minister Priyank Kharge announced the initiative, indicating that the government has issued a tender and shortlisted five companies with expertise in artificial intelligence, data analysis, and fact-checking.

The selected firms, once verified, will contribute to the government’s three-pronged approach, consisting of a fact-checking team to detect and rectify false news, an analytics squad to monitor the false news ecosystem, and a capability improvement team focused on creating awareness and educating the public about misinformation.

The criteria for selection include the companies being Indian and having at least three years of experience in fact-checking services.