Bengaluru: Karnataka IT/BT and Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge has said that the State Government’s proposed Disinformation Bill aims to regulate individuals and digital platforms responsible for creating and amplifying misinformation, disinformation, malinformation and fake news. He clarified that the government does not intend to curb free expression, satire, or criticism.

Speaking at “Policy Dialogue: Truth, Trust and Technology,” organised by Ikigai Law and the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) on Friday, Kharge said that emerging artificial intelligence tools have made it easier to create deepfakes, forged documents, and manipulated audio-visual content. “A single click can cause disruption. We want to ensure accountability for those creating and amplifying false information,” he said. The Bill is expected to be introduced in the upcoming winter session of the Karnataka Assembly in Belagavi.

Panel discussions at the event examined constitutional considerations surrounding the regulation of speech. Legal experts pointed out that any such law must comply with Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and meet the tests of reasonableness under Article 19(2).

Speakers, including legal scholars and media representatives, noted the difficulty of defining “truth” in a plural society and cautioned against approaches that grant governments the authority to determine factual accuracy. They also highlighted operational and enforcement challenges in moderating online speech at scale. (eom)