West Bengal Creates Social Media ‘War Room’ to Tackle Fake News, Misinformation

West Bengal government has set up a 24x7 social media 'War Room' to combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news, amid concerns that misleading content could affect public order, government functioning and the state's image.

According to a notification issued by the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, the initiative will monitor print, electronic and digital media platforms, including social media, and coordinate with district administrations and government departments to ensure the swift dissemination of verified information.

The War Room will be headed by the Secretary of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department and include senior officials from the Home, Information Technology and Electronics, Disaster Management, Health and Police departments, among other key wings of the administration.

Its responsibilities will include identifying misinformation and misleading narratives, preparing factual responses, coordinating with district authorities and ensuring verified information reaches the public through official channels. It will also maintain liaison with media organisations and fact-checking agencies and submit regular situation reports to the state government.

The state has directed administrative departments, district magistrates, police commissioners and superintendents of police to nominate nodal officers to coordinate with the War Room and provide necessary support.

The initiative aims to prevent rumours from gaining traction by enabling the government to respond quickly with accurate information whenever false or misleading content threatens to create confusion or panic.