Indian tech hub state pushes jail terms for 'fake news'

Karnataka's draft legislation proposes up to 7 years jail for spreading misinformation; critics warn of selective enforcement, risk of censorship

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Draft legislation by India’s tech hub state of Karnataka that would impose jail terms of up to seven years for spreading “fake news” and other misinformation has stirred concerns among free speech activists that it could lead to censorship.

With nearly 1 billion Internet users, the stakes are high in a sprawling country of many ethnic and religious communities where fake news risks stirring deadly strife and AI deepfake videos have alarmed officials during elections.

India’s federal government already regulates social media content with legislation empowering it to order takedowns of disputed content. But some states such as Karnataka have begun taking their own measures.