India tops the list of countries with risks from misinformation and disinformation

  This report has come out at a time when assembly elections of many states are going to be held in India in the next few months, apart from the general elections. Observers say that not only the ruling party but other political parties also make extraordinary use of "misinformation and disinformation" on a large scale for temporary political gain and electoral success.The report highlights various short-term and long-term risks. It identified misinformation and misinformation as the top ten long-term and short-term threats over the next two years. It said that this is likely to cause rifts and polarization in the society.India: Opposition accuses government of phone tappingAccording to the report, other countries at risk of "misinformation and disinformation" include Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Ireland, the Czech Republic and El Salvador. Part of an initiative of the World Economic Forum, the objective is to identify major threats and identify possible ways to deal with them.The report identifies economic uncertainty, social polarization and the refugee crisis as some of the other key short-term risks, while the environmental crisis is seen as the most important long-term threat.Elections are a major source of disinformation.The report states that elections will become a great source for spreading false information. It should be noted that in the next few years, elections are going to be held in important countries like India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, United Kingdom and the United States, in which the world About three billion people will participate. The report warned that widespread use of propaganda and false narratives could undermine the legitimacy of new governments. It can also lead to civil unrest, protests and hate crimes.

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Underscoring the seriousness of the situation, the report states that misinformation can not only affect people's political affiliations but also undermine their understanding of the facts, with negative effects on social cohesion and mental health. The report also fears that the definition of truth will become controversial and some leaders, groups and parties may turn false statements into true ones.

The report also mentions the removal of links to a BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots from YouTube and Twitter under pressure from India's BJP government. According to the report, this move also highlights the involvement of social media in the political agenda of spreading misinformation.

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The report also highlights a possible link between the rise of misinformation and countries' declining press freedom indices. It should be noted that last year India was ranked 161 out of 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index.