Parliament to Debate Fake News and Content Regulation Bill in Winter Session

Parliament’s winter session, which begins December 1 and runs through December 19, 2025, is expected to place digital misinformation and fake news at the forefront of legislative discussions. Government sources indicate that content standards—particularly regarding obscene material, deepfakes, and online misinformation—will dominate the agenda, with lawmakers preparing to scrutinize recent regulatory proposals.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s plan to amend the Press Council Act of 1978 is anticipated to draw significant attention. This amendment would substantially expand the Press Council of India’s mandate, bringing digital publishers, major influencers, and content creators under regulatory oversight for the first time. The proposed changes would transform the PCI from a print-focused body into a comprehensive media regulator covering print, broadcast, and digital platforms.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the session will feature extensive debate on the fake-news mandate. The ministry’s draft amendment aims to address the growing proliferation of misinformation by extending regulatory oversight across the entire news and news-adjacent content ecosystem. This legislative push occurs against the backdrop of ongoing government efforts to regulate explicit content online—an issue recently highlighted in Supreme Court proceedings where the ministry proposed measures to curb obscene material on social media and OTT platforms.

The status of the Broadcasting Services Bill is also expected to face questioning as part of broader discussions on digital content regulation. Updates regarding deepfake governance, AI-enabled misinformation, and recommendations from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s AI copyright committee will likely feature prominently in parliamentary deliberations.

A particularly significant provision under consideration establishes follower and subscriber thresholds to determine which influencers would fall under the PCI’s jurisdiction. If approved, high-impact creators would be subject to formal statutory oversight, requiring adherence to journalistic standards and potentially facing penalties for spreading misinformation.

This regulatory expansion follows concerns raised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, which identified influencers and online creators as major vectors for disseminating misinformation—whether motivated by profit or ideological objectives. The committee previously recommended establishing a unified Media Council to consolidate regulatory authority across print, television, and digital media sectors.

The committee’s report highlighted sophisticated misinformation networks comprised of individuals, organized groups, and AI-driven content generators that exploit engagement algorithms, sensationalist narratives, and ad-monetization models to amplify false information.

In response to the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes, the ministry is reconsidering penalty frameworks. Current sanctions—including warnings, fines up to ₹25 lakh, or license revocation—were deemed insufficient by the parliamentary committee. Instead, they proposed implementing a graduated penalty system: first-time violators would receive warnings and be required to issue public apologies, while repeat offenders could face channel suspensions, blocking measures, and substantially higher fines.

The committee also advocated for mandatory disclosure labels for AI-generated or AI-assisted content, arguing that audiences deserve transparency regarding whether news-like material originates from human journalists or synthetic systems. This recommendation is driven by the rapid proliferation of deepfakes and synthetic media that threatens to undermine public trust in information sources.

To implement these reforms effectively, the committee urged the Information & Broadcasting Ministry to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and major digital platforms. Recommended measures include appointing dedicated nodal officers in India to handle creator-related violations, reassessing safe-harbor protections under the IT Act, and requiring transparent enforcement reports detailing content takedowns and penalties.

If Parliament approves the amendment, it would represent the first time India extends statutory media oversight to social media influencers and digital creators—a significant development that could fundamentally reshape accountability standards across the country’s rapidly evolving digital media landscape.

As the winter session approaches, the government’s initiative to address fake news—and regulate the expanding ecosystem of content creators behind it—is poised to become one of the most closely watched legislative debates of the year.