In the present era, where misinformation spreads dangerously fast on social media, political discourse is increasingly subject to exploitation. A recent case involves a false claim by some social media handles that with Bharatiya Janata Party’s New Delhi’s elected CM assuming office, she bought a ₹50 lakh MG Gloster 4WD. However, the official registration details show the car was registered in April 2022, during the period when Arvind Kejriwal was CM of Delhi.
Unraveling the False Narrative
The claim being circulated on X (formerly Twitter) by @AskThePremKumar and some AAP supporters, ‘handles,’ would tarnish the new CM’s image, branding her as extravagant and irresponsible with taxpayers’ money. However, contrary to the narrative spun, a simple fact check with the vehicle registration records now available does prove otherwise. The car was registered in April 2022, almost two years before the new CM took over. Such evidence is there to contradict the misleading narrative that the vehicle was acquired very recently.
The Dangers of Political Misinformation
This incident, thus, highlights growing concerns in the Indian political landscape of the purposeful use of misinformation to impugn public figures and distort public perception. Such tactics are dangerous for a number of reasons:
- Erosion of Public Trust: When exposed again and again to a false narrative, public trust in political institutions and processes continues to decline.
- Diverting Attention from Real Issues: Misinformation diverts public focus away from infrastructure, education, health, and jobs, and pushes governance concerns off the agenda.
- Manipulation of Public Sentiment: Fake news often tries to shape voting sentiments ahead of elections, thus compromising fair, democratic decision-making.
- Societal Polarization: False claims create unnecessary rifts among people, fuelling partisan discourse that is built on deception rather than on discussions based on facts.
The script running to address the misinformation crisis
With the growing influence of social media in emerging political discourse, enhanced measures are warranted to thwart misinformation disseminators;
- Fact-Checking: Before it could take root, the social media companies and independent fact-checking organizations should be on alert to knock down falsehoods.
- Legal and Ethical Responsibility: Those individuals or political parties who knowingly spread misinformation should be legally and ethically accountable to discourage others from embarking on such ventures.
- Awareness Campaigns: Educating the public on how to identify and establish the veracity or otherwise of fake news and confirming from verifiable sources can reduce the scope of misinformation quite significantly.
- Promoting Responsible Journalism: Media houses should ensure responsible journalism by not sensationalizing any unverified claims.
