Tweaked ‘fake news bill’ better, but not perfect: Experts

Experts say the Karnataka government’s draft bill to regulate the spread of false information online remains vague in its intent despite revision. The latest version has dropped ‘fake news’ from the title and reduced punishments. It is now titled the Karnataka Misinformation Regulation Bill, 2025.

Tanveer Hasan, executive director of the Centre for Internet and Society, notes that the draft seems to have lost sight of its original goal. “The bill was supposed to cultivate fact-checking among the citizens,” he reasons. However, he calls the draft “a good first step” and welcomes the reduced punishments and inclusion of corrective and disabling actions.