The move comes days after Delhi Police said false information linked to the recent students' protest was being circulated through fake social media posts.
Key Points
- The Centre has directed ministries and departments to establish Quick Response Teams to identify fake social media content in real time.
- Official responses must be published within two hours of misleading content appearing to curb the rapid spread of misinformation.
- QRT members will receive specialised training to respond effectively across video-based platforms while maintaining factual accuracy and concise messaging.
- Ministries have been encouraged to use memes, graphics, posters and short videos to maximise audience engagement and algorithmic reach.
The central government has directed all ministries and departments to immediately set up Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to detect fake content on social media in real time.
The move comes days after the Delhi police said false information linked to the recent students' protest was being circulated through fake social media posts.
Sources familiar with the matter said a recent government communication stated that the QRTs should detect fake content related to their respective ministries and departments in real time, and post a response on their official social media handles within two hours of the origin of the fake or misleading content.
Officials are of the view that since rumours spread rapidly on social media, the official response must be equally swift, the sources said.
The communication comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have directed Cabinet colleagues to increase their presence on social media platforms such as Instagram, given the platform's popularity among Gen Z users.
The government has asked that the new QRTs be adequately trained through dedicated workshops and sessions with leading experts to respond quickly to fake content on video-streaming social media platforms, the sources said.
Responses to such content should be limited to about 200 words, and maintain factual accuracy.
Several commentators have said that social media posts on platforms such as Instagram Reels and YouTube fuelled the month-long protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party, which ultimately resulted in Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister.
The communication also states that QRTs should make efforts to communicate with citizens in formats best suited to the platform on which the content appears.
"For example, if the fake content is posted on a video-streaming platform such as Instagram or YouTube, the response should ideally also be in a video format," an official said.
The government also wants ministries and departments to significantly expand the use of memes, posters, graphics, short videos and other engaging formats that can effectively communicate the message and have the potential for algorithmic amplification, the official said.
The ministry of information and broadcasting has offered to provide all possible assistance to ministries and departments in setting up the QRTs and training and equipping them to respond quickly to fake social media posts.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
