Seven-Year Jail Term, ₹10 Lakh Fine for Spreading Fake News

Spreading false or misleading information on social media could soon attract a maximum jail term of seven years or a fine of ₹10 lakh.

Fake News Law: Karnataka is preparing a stringent bill to curb the spread of fake news and misleading information on social media, with potential penalties of up to seven years imprisonment or a ₹10 lakh fine. The state government has finalised the draft of the ‘Karnataka False Information and Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2025’. According to informed sources, the bill will be discussed in the next meeting of the state cabinet and is likely to be introduced in the upcoming assembly session.

Impending Law: 7 Years Imprisonment and ₹10 Lakh Fine

According to the draft bill, individuals found guilty of sharing fake news or misinformation on social media could face a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹10 lakh, or both. The dissemination of generally misleading information carries a penalty of two to five years imprisonment and a financial penalty. All these offences will be classified as cognisable and non-bailable.

Social Media Regulatory Authority

Under the proposed law, the state government will establish a six-member Social Media Regulatory Authority to monitor content disseminated on social media. This authority will oversee fake news, objectionable content related to women or religion, posts against the symbols or beliefs of Sanātana Dharma, messages promoting superstition, and misinformation related to science, history, philosophy, or literature. The authority will ensure that the content in social media posts is based on authentic research and facts.

Action Against Companies, Directors, and Employees

The bill also provides for action against directors and employees of companies found to be actively involved in violating the law. Affected parties will be given 30 days to respond to notices.

Special Courts with Special Powers

-Proposal for the establishment of special courts at the Sessions Court level
-Special courts to be established with the consent of the Karnataka High Court
-Special courts will issue directions to individuals responsible for misleading content, social media platforms, publishers, broadcasters, or other intermediaries.
-For non-compliance with the directions of the special court, a maximum of two years of simple imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹25 lakh (at ₹25,000 per day) is permissible.