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In 2020, the Bihar Assembly election unfolded as India was emerging from the grip of the Coronavirus pandemic, with citizens gradually venturing out after prolonged lockdowns. During this critical democratic exercise, the internet became the primary channel for political communication, reshaping how campaigns operated in unprecedented ways.
The Election Commission implemented strict protocols limiting physical campaigning to ensure public safety, pushing political outreach increasingly online. This digital shift, while necessary, created fertile ground for misinformation. Election propaganda became intertwined with fake news designed to sway voter opinions, with varying degrees of detection success.
The digital transformation of electoral information came with significant drawbacks—namely the proliferation of false and fraudulent content. Misinformation and disinformation on social media emerged as substantial threats to electoral integrity, joining traditional concerns about money and muscle power in influencing outcomes. Despite these challenges, the 2020 Bihar election was successfully conducted.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls will mark a milestone as the first state election following the Election Commission’s introduction of a dedicated system to combat false information. The “Myth vs Reality Register,” launched in April 2024 before the Lok Sabha elections, aims to document and debunk misleading information. The system will continuously evolve based on monitoring data gathered from upcoming electoral exercises.
However, experts acknowledge the immense challenge of tracking and countering misinformation in real-time across the vast digital landscape. In August this year, the Election Commission had to publicly refute false claims circulating on social media that alleged the sudden removal of e-voter rolls for multiple states from its website, clarifying that electoral rolls remained accessible through its official portal.
On October 24, the Commission issued an advisory outlining guidelines specifically addressing AI-generated content in election campaigns ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. This move reflects growing concerns about increasingly sophisticated forms of digital misinformation.
The issue extends far beyond India’s borders. Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) revealed that false information propagates significantly faster and more widely online than factual content. Their study, published in the journal Science, found that posts containing falsehoods were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than truthful information—with human users, not automated bots, primarily responsible for this spread.
The MIT researchers analyzed approximately 126,000 news cascades on Twitter (now X) encompassing over 4.5 million tweets by roughly 3 million users between 2006 and 2017. To ensure accuracy, the study incorporated assessments from six independent fact-checking organizations, achieving substantial consensus on content validity. Political discourse emerged as particularly susceptible to fake news infiltration.
Dr. Sambit Pal, In-Charge Director at the International School of Broadcasting and Journalism at MIT Art, Design and Technology University in Pune, noted, “Whether in India, the UK, or the United States, where social media is extensively used to reach out to a certain section of voters, you will find such misinformation and disinformation.”
“Fake news has become an integral part of political communication everywhere,” Dr. Pal added. “In India, social media has been used aggressively by political parties with dedicated IT departments to microtarget voters and change the narrative. Here, many supporters misuse the process to suit their own narrative.”
As a member of the India Training Network of Google News Initiative, Dr. Pal conducts workshops on fact-checking and fake news verification, highlighting the growing professional response to combat this threat to democratic discourse.
As Bihar prepares for its next electoral test, the battle against misinformation continues to evolve alongside the digital tools and strategies that shape modern democratic participation.
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7 Comments
While the digital transformation of campaigning was necessary during the pandemic, the proliferation of fake news is deeply troubling. Maintaining electoral integrity is crucial for a healthy democracy. I’m interested to see how the Election Commission plans to tackle this issue in the lead-up to the 2025 Bihar polls.
Interesting article on the challenges of maintaining electoral integrity in the digital age. The shift to online campaigning during the pandemic seems to have enabled the spread of misinformation, which is concerning. It’ll be important for authorities to stay vigilant and find ways to combat this threat to democracy.
This is a complex issue with no easy solutions. The growing influence of social media misinformation on elections is a global challenge that must be addressed. I’m interested to see what innovative approaches the Indian authorities will take to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process.
The article highlights an important issue that many countries are grappling with. The spread of misinformation on social media can have serious consequences for the democratic process. I hope the Indian authorities are able to find effective ways to combat this threat and ensure fair and transparent elections going forward.
The 2020 Bihar election experience highlights how social media can be weaponized to sway voter opinions through fake news. It’s a complex issue with no easy solutions, but securing the integrity of the electoral process should be a top priority. Curious to see what measures the Election Commission plans to implement for the 2025 polls.
Agreed, the growing influence of social media misinformation is a major concern for democratic institutions worldwide. I hope the Indian authorities can find effective ways to address this challenge and restore public trust in the electoral process.
Alarming to see how social media misinformation has become a threat to electoral integrity in India. While the digital shift was necessary, the proliferation of fake news is deeply concerning. Curious to learn more about the Election Commission’s plans to address this challenge before the 2025 Bihar polls.