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In a significant development ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission has intensified efforts to combat fake news and misinformation in the digital sphere. This upcoming poll will be the first state election to utilize the Commission’s “Myth vs Reality Register,” a tool launched in April 2024 to track and counter false information during electoral processes.

The Bihar political landscape is no stranger to digital challenges. During the 2020 Assembly elections, which took place as India was emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, the internet became the primary medium for political campaigning due to restrictions on physical gatherings. This digital shift, while necessary, created fertile ground for misinformation campaigns designed to influence voters.

“The pandemic fundamentally altered how election campaigns operate in Bihar,” noted an election observer who requested anonymity. “When physical rallies became restricted, social media platforms filled the gap, but this brought unprecedented challenges in monitoring content accuracy.”

The Election Commission has already been active in addressing digital misinformation ahead of the 2025 polls. In August, the body publicly refuted claims circulating on social media that alleged the Commission had removed e-voter rolls of many states from its website. The EC clarified that electoral rolls for all 36 states and union territories remain accessible through its official website.

More recently, on October 24, the Commission issued an advisory outlining specific guidelines for the use of AI-generated content in election campaigns, highlighting growing concerns about deepfakes and synthetic media that could mislead voters.

Research underscores the gravity of this challenge. A landmark study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that false information spreads significantly faster and more broadly online than factual content. The study, published in the journal Science, analyzed approximately 126,000 news cascades on Twitter (now X) between 2006 and 2017, covering over 4.5 million tweets by roughly 3 million users.

The findings revealed that posts containing falsehoods were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than truthful ones, with political content being particularly susceptible to misinformation. Six independent fact-checking organizations verified the study’s conclusions, establishing a high degree of consensus regarding the truthfulness of the examined stories.

Dr. Sambit Pal, In-Charge Director at the International School of Broadcasting and Journalism at MIT Art, Design and Technology University in Pune, explains that this is a global phenomenon. “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,” he said.

Dr. Pal, who participates in the India Training Network of Google News Initiative conducting workshops on fact-checking, added, “Fake news has become an integral part of political communication everywhere. In India, social media has been used aggressively by political parties with dedicated IT departments to microtarget voters and change the narrative.”

The Election Commission’s focus on digital integrity represents an evolution in electoral management. During the 2020 Bihar elections, the Commission had to balance democratic processes with pandemic safety protocols while simultaneously addressing emerging digital threats. Traditional electoral challenges such as money and muscle power now coexist with sophisticated online influence operations.

As Bihar prepares for its 2025 Assembly elections, the implementation of the “Myth vs Reality Register” signals a recognition that electoral integrity now depends not just on the physical security of polling stations but also on the digital information ecosystem. However, experts caution that monitoring the vast expanse of social media remains time-consuming and technically challenging, even with advanced tools.

The outcome of these efforts could set important precedents for future elections across India, as authorities continue to adapt to the evolving intersection of technology and democracy.

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