GUWAHATI: BJP Lok Sabha member and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia has called for strict regulation of digital news portals across the country, citing concerns over misinformation and its impact on democracy.
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Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, March 18, he urged the central government to establish a regulatory authority to monitor these platforms.
Saikia said that many digital news portals are spreading false narratives, manipulating content, and providing misleading information, which he claimed were distorting public perception and harming India’s political, cultural, and social fabric. He warned that such practices posed a serious threat to the country's democratic values.
"The media plays a vital role in shaping public opinion,” the MP from Darrang-Udalguri said in Parliament. “Allowing certain rogue digital platforms to spread deceitful narratives without accountability poses a direct threat to our democracy."
To address these concerns, Saikia proposed that a regulatory body be empowered to scrutinise and approve operating licences for digital news platforms. He additionally stressed the need for additional regulations to curb misinformation and ensure accountability for misleading content that could disrupt social harmony and public trust.
Dewan Dhurubajyoti Maral, convenor of the Assam BJP media department, also backed Saikia’s demand.
