Karnataka govt invites EoI to set up 'Information Disorder Tackling Unit' to combat fake news

The Information Disorder Tackling Unit (IDTU) will consist of three teams: fact-checking, analytics team and capacity-building

Karnataka government has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) to set up an 'Information Disorder Tackling Unit (IDTU)' to combat fake news.

Karnataka Innovation & Technology Society (KITS), which falls under the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T has invited the tender, which is open to all entities and companies registered in India.

IDTU will consist of three teams: fact-checking, analytics team and capacity-building. According to the tender conditions, interested entities should have at least three years of existence as of August 31 with involvement in fact-checking services and a track record of similar activities/units for other organisations.

Also read: Karnataka government announces framework for fact-checking unit to tackle misinformation

The tender also emphasises transparency in funding, stating that "all funding received by the agency, accounting for 5 percent or more of total revenue for the previous three financial years, must be available on their website."

Further, the tender specifies that there should be no record of criminal proceedings related to any serious crime or violation of the code of conduct against the agency or any of its directors.

The fact-checking team will comprise independent fact-check agencies appointed by the state government for the purpose of identifying false information. The analytics team will utilise cutting-edge technologies like data analytics and artificial intelligence to proactively monitor the information disorder ecosystem. The capacity-building team will conduct awareness campaigns for the public to raise awareness of the existence and impact of the information disorder ecosystem, it said. The submission deadline for bids is October 16.

Last month, the Karnataka government announced a framework for a fact-checking unit to tackle misinformation. Karnataka's IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge said the unit includes an oversight committee, a review Single Point of Contact (SPOC), and nodal officers.

The oversight committee will comprise key figures from various domains, such as the head of the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, the Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence/CID), a representative from the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), MD of Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), dean of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Sciences (EECS) at the Indian Institute of Science, an additional advocate general, the head of Karnataka cybersecurity centre of excellence and representatives from civil society.

The review SPOC will be headed by an SP from the intelligence department or a designated representative from the home department.

EGI notes with concern, some aspects of Karnataka govt’s decision to set up a ‘fact-checking unit’ to monitor ‘fake news’. We urge all govts to ensure such units are independent of executive control and their scope and powers are specified so as to not trample upon press freedom pic.twitter.com/7G9pdOweFQ

— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) August 27, 2023

Editors Guild of India had urged governments to ensure such units are independent of executive control and their scope and powers are specified so as to not trample upon press freedom.