At the CrossRoads: The RMG Ban & the Global Landscape

Misinformation spread has become a cause for concern for all stakeholders, be it the government, policymakers, business organisations or the citizens. The current push for combating misinformation is rooted in the growing awareness that misinformation leads to sentiment exploitation and can result in economic instability, personal risks, and a rise in political, regional, and religious tensions. The circulation of misinformation poses significant challenges for organisations, brands and administrators of all types. The spread of misinformation online poses a risk not only to the everyday content consumer, but also creates concerns for the sharer but the platforms themselves. Sharing misinformation in the digital realm, intentionally or not, can have real consequences.

Consequences for Platforms

Platforms have been scrutinised for the content they allow to be published and what they don't. It is important to understand not only how this misinformation affects platform users, but also its impact and consequences for the platforms themselves. These consequences highlight the complex environment that social media platforms operate in, where the stakes are high from the perspective of both business and societal impact. They are:

• Legal Consequences: Platforms can be fined by regulators if they fail to comply with content moderation or misinformation-related laws and a prime example of such a law is the Digital Services Act of the EU, which has been created for the regulation of digital services that act as intermediaries for consumers and goods, services, and content. They can face lawsuits by individuals, organisations or governments for any damages due to misinformation. Defamation suits are part of the standard practice when dealing with misinformation-causing vectors.  In India, the Prohibition of Fake News on Social Media Bill of 2023 is in the pipeline and would establish a regulatory body for fake news on social media platforms. 
• Reputational Consequences: Platforms employ a trust model where the user trusts it and its content. If a user loses trust in the platform because of misinformation, it can reduce engagement. This might even lead to negative coverage that affects the public opinion of the brand, its value and viability in the long run. 
• Financial Consequences: Businesses that engage with the platform may end their engagement with platforms accused of misinformation, which can lead to a revenue drop. This can also have major consequences affecting the long-term financial health of the platform, such as a decline in stock prices.
• Operational Consequences: To counter the scrutiny from regulators, the platform might need to engage in stricter content moderation policies or other resource-intensive tasks, increasing operational costs for the platforms. 
• Market Position Loss: If the reliability of a platform is under question, then, platform users can migrate to other platforms, leading to a loss in the market share in favour of those platforms that manage misinformation more effectively.
• Freedom of Expression vs. Censorship Debate: There needs to be a balance between freedom of expression and the prevention of misinformation. Censorship can become an accusation for the platform in case of stricter content moderation and if the users feel that their opinions are unfairly suppressed. 
• Ethical and Moral Responsibilities: Accountability for platforms extends to moral accountability as they allow content that affects different spheres of the user's life such as public health, democracy etc. Misinformation can cause real-world harm like health misinformation or inciting violence, which leads to the fact that platforms have social responsibility too.

Misinformation has turned into a global issue and because of this, digital platforms need to be vigilant while they navigate the varying legal, cultural and social expectations across different jurisdictions. Efforts to create standardised practices and policies have been complicated by the diversity of approaches, leading platforms to adopt flexible strategies for managing misinformation that align with global and local standards.

Addressing the Consequences

These consequences can be addressed by undertaking the following measures:

• The implementation of a more robust content moderation system by the platforms using a combination of AI and human oversight for the identification and removal of misinformation in an effective manner. 
• Enhancing the transparency in platform policies for content moderation and decision-making would build user trust and reduce the backlash associated with perceived censorship. 
• Collaborations with fact checkers in the form of partnerships to help verify the accuracy of content and reduce the spread of misinformation.
• Engage with regulators proactively to stay ahead of legal and regulatory requirements and avoid punitive actions. 
• Platforms should Invest in media literacy initiatives and help users critically evaluate the content available to them. 

Final Takeaways

The accrual of misinformation on digital platforms has resulted in presenting significant challenges across legal, reputational, financial, and operational functions for all stakeholders. As a result, a critical need arises where the interlinked, but seemingly-exclusive priorities of preventing misinformation and upholding freedom of expression must be balanced. Platforms must invest in the creation and implementation of a robust content moderation system with in-built transparency, collaborating with fact-checkers, and media literacy efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of misinformation. In addition to this, adapting to diverse international standards is essential to maintaining their global presence and societal trust.

References

• https://pirg.org/edfund/articles/misinformation-on-social-media/ 
• https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/12/674
• https://scroll.in/article/1057626/israel-hamas-war-misinformation-is-being-spread-across-social-media-with-real-world-consequences 
• https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/01-09-2022-infodemics-and-misinformation-negatively-affect-people-s-health-behaviours--new-who-review-finds 

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Introduction 

Public infrastructure has traditionally served as the framework for civilisation, transporting people, money, and ideas across time and space, from the iron veins of transcontinental railroads to the unseen arteries of the internet. In democracies where free markets and public infrastructure co-exist, this framework has not only facilitated but also accelerated progress. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which powers inclusiveness, fosters innovation, and changes citizens from passive recipients to active participants in the digital age, is emerging as the new civic backbone as we move away from highways and towards high-speed data. 

DPI makes it possible for innovation at the margins and for inclusion at scale by providing open-source, interoperable platforms for identities, payments, and data exchange. Examples of how the Global South is evolving from a passive consumer of technology to a creator of globally replicable governance models are India’s Aadhaar (digital identification), UPI (real-time payments), and DigiLocker (data empowerment). As the ‘digital commons’ emerges, DPI does more than simply link users; it also empowers citizens, eliminates inefficiencies from the past, and reimagines the creation and distribution of public value in the digital era. 

Securing the Digital Infrastructure: A Contemporary Imperative

As humans, we are already the inhabitants of the future, we stand at the temporal threshold for reform. Digital Infrastructure is no longer just a public good. It’s now a strategic asset, akin to oil pipelines in the 20th century. India is recognised globally for the introduction of “India Stack”, through which the face of digital payments has also been changed. The economic value contributed by DPIs to India’s GDP is predicted to reach 2.9-4.2 percent by 2030, having already reached 0.9% in 2022. Its role in India’s economic development is partly responsible for its success; among emerging market economies, it helped propel India to the top of the revenue administrations’ digitalisation index. The other portion has to do with how India’s social service delivery has changed across the board. By enabling digital and financial inclusion, it has increased access to education (DIKSHA) and is presently being developed to offer agricultural (VISTAAR) and digital health (ABDM) services. 

Securing the Foundations: Emerging Threats to Digital Public Infrastructure

The rising prominence of DPI is not without its risks, as adversarial forces are developing with comparable sophistication. The core underpinnings of public digital systems are the target of a new generation of cyber threats, ranging from hostile state actors to cybercriminal syndicates. The threats pose a great risk to the consistent development endeavours of the government. To elucidate, targeted attacks on Biometric databases, AI-based Misinformation and Psychological Warfare, Payment System Hacks, State-sponsored malware, cross-border phishing campaigns, surveillance spyware and Sovereign Malware are modern-day examples of cyber threats. 

To secure DPI, a radical rethink beyond encryption methods and perimeter firewalls is needed. It requires an understanding of cybersecurity that is systemic, ethical, and geopolitical. Democracy, inclusivity, and national integrity are all at risk from DPI. To preserve the confidence and promise of digital public infrastructure, policy frameworks must change from fragmented responses to coordinated, proactive and people-centred cyber defence policies.

CyberPeace Recommendations

Powering Progress, Ignoring Protection: A Precarious Path

The Indian government is aware that cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated in the nation. To address the nation’s cybersecurity issues, the government has implemented a number of legislative, technical, and administrative policy initiatives. While the initiatives are commendable, there are a few Non-Negotiables that need to be in place for effective protection: 

• DPIs must be declared Critical Information Infrastructure. In accordance with the IT Act, 2000, the DPI (Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, Account Aggregator, CoWIN, and ONDC) must be designated as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) and be supervised by the NCIIPC, just like the banking, energy, and telecom industries. Give NCIIPC the authority to publish required security guidelines, carry out audits, and enforce adherence to the DPI stack, including incident response protocols tailored to each DPI. 
• To solidify security, data sovereignty, and cyber responsibility, India should spearhead global efforts to create a Global DPI  Cyber Compact through the “One Future Alliance” and the G20. To ensure interoperable cybersecurity frameworks for international DPI projects, promote open standards, cross-border collaboration on threat intelligence, and uniform incident reporting guidelines. 
• Establish a DPI Threat Index to monitor vulnerabilities, including phishing attacks, efforts at biometric breaches, sovereign malware footprints, spikes in AI misinformation, and patterns in payment fraud. Create daily or weekly risk dashboards by integrating data from state CERTs, RBI, UIDAI, CERT-In, and NPCI. Use machine learning (ML) driven detection systems. 
• Make explainability audits necessary for AI/ML systems used throughout DPI to make sure that the decision-making process is open, impartial, and subject to scrutiny (e.g., welfare algorithms, credit scoring). Use the recently established IndiaAI Safety Institute in line with India’s AI mission to conduct AI audits, establish explanatory standards, and create sector-specific compliance guidelines. 

References

• https://orfamerica.org/newresearch/dpi-catalyst-private-sector-innovation?utm_source=chatgpt.com 
• https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/expressions/indias-digital-public-infrastructure-success-story-world 
• https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2116341 
• https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2033389 
• https://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/dpi-must-ensure-data-privacy-cyber-security-citizenfirst-approach 

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Introduction 

Digitalization in India has been a transformative force, India is also marked as the second country in the world in terms of active internet users. With this adoption of digitalization and technology, the country is becoming a digitally empowered society and knowledge-based economy. However, the number of cyber crimes in the country has also seen a massive spike recently with the sophisticated cyber attacks and manipulative techniques being used by cybercriminals to lure innocent individuals and businesses. 

As per recent reports, over 740,000 cybercrime cases were reported to the I4C, in the first four months of 2024, which raises serious concern on the growing nature of cyber crimes in the country. Recently Prime Minister Modi in his Mann Ki Baat address, cautioned the public about a particular rising cyber scam known as ‘digital arrest’ and highlighted the seriousness of the issue and urged people to be aware and alert about such scams to counter them. The government has been keen on making efforts to reduce and combat cyber crimes by introducing new measures and strengthening the regulatory landscape governing cyberspace in India.

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre  

Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established by the Ministry of Home Affairs  (MHA) to provide a framework and eco-system for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to deal with cybercrime in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. I4C handles the ‘National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’ (https://cybercrime.gov.in) and the 1930 Cyber Crime Helpline. Recently at the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) Foundation Day celebration, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC), Samanvay platform (Joint Cybercrime Investigation Facilitation System), 'Cyber Commandos' program and Online Suspect Registry as efforts to combat the cyber crimes, establish cyber resilence and awareness and strengthening capabilities of law enforcement agencies.

Regulatory landscape Governing Cyber Crimes 

Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) and the rules made therein, the Intermediary Guidelines, Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 are the major legislation in India governing Cyber Laws.  

CyberPeace Recommendations

There has been an alarming uptick in cybercrimes in the country highlighting the need for proactive approaches to counter these emerging threats. The government should prioritise its efforts by introducing robust policies and technical measures to reduce cybercrime in the country. The law enforcement agencies' capabilities must be strengthened with advanced technologies to deal with cyber crimes especially considering the growing sophisticated nature of cyber crime tactics used by cyber criminals. 

The netizens must be aware of the manipulative tactics used by cyber criminals to target them. Social media companies must also implement robust measures on their respective platforms to counter and prevent cyber crimes. Coordinated approaches by all relevant authorities, including law enforcement, cybersecurity agencies, and regulatory bodies, along with increased awareness and proactive engagement by netizens, can significantly reduce cyber threats and online criminal activities. 

References

• https://www.statista.com/statistics/1499739/india-cyber-crime-cases-reported-to-i4c/#:~:text=Cyber%20crime%20cases%20registered%20by%20I4C%20India%202019%2D2024&text=Over%20740%2C000%20cases%20of%20cyber,related%20to%20online%20financial%20fraud
• https://www.deccanherald.com/india/parliament-panel-to-examine-probe-agencies-efforts-to-tackle-cyber-crime-illegal-immigration-3270314
• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2003158

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