Karnataka mulls bill to curb fake news, hate speech; proposes 7-year jail term, Rs 10 lakh fine

Karnataka Crowd Control and Management of Mass Gatherings Bill, 2025 was also discussed in the cabinet meeting.

Karnataka government has proposed two bills aimed at curbing fake news and hate speech.

"Two bills - Karnataka Misinformation and Fake News Prohibition Bill, 2025, and Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crime Prevention Bill, 2025 - have been proposed to curb fake news and hate speech," State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil told reporters after the cabinet meeting on June 19.

Also, read: Karnataka government’s fact-check unit to combat fake news now operational

In the wake of the tragic June 4 stampede that claimed 11 lives, Patil added that the Karnataka Crowd Control and Management of Mass Gatherings Bill, 2025 was also discussed in the cabinet.

Additionally, Karnataka Rohith Vemula Bill, 2025 has been proposed, and the cabinet decided to hold further deliberations on these bills before bringing them up in the next meeting.

In April, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged CM Siddaramaiah to enact a 'Rohith Vemula Act' to curb caste bias in education. Vemula, a Dalit student, allegedly died by suicide in 2016 due to caste discrimination in Hyderabad.

7-year-jail, Rs 10 lakh fine

According to sources, the push for the misinformation and hate speech bills comes amid a spate of communal murders in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada.

As per the draft Karnataka Misinformation and Fake News Prohibition Bill, 2025, social media users found guilty of posting fake news could face imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, or both.

The draft bill defines fake news to include misquoting individuals, or publishing false and/or inaccurate reports of their statements. It also covers the editing of audio or video clips that result in the distortion of facts or context. Additionally, it applies to individuals or entities- natural or juridical, organised or unorganised- who use social media platforms to disseminate messages or information through accounts that are either verified or operated under pseudonyms, fictitious names, or false identities.

The state government will be responsible for enforcing a complete ban on fake news on social media platforms. To implement the provisions of the Act, it proposes to set up a Fake News on Social Media Regulatory Authority.

The Authority will be chaired by the Minister for Kannada and Culture and Information and Broadcasting (as ex-officio chairperson). Other members will include one representative each from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, to be nominated by their respective presiding officers, two representatives from social media platforms to be appointed by the state government, and an IAS officer who will serve as the Authority’s secretary.

On May 31, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said he would discuss an anti-hate speech law with CM Siddaramaiah, citing how easily the accused secure bail. The CM also said the government is 'seriously considering' such a law during a review meeting held on the same day.

Karnataka’s fact-checking unit to combat fake news on social media has been active since March 2024. Four firms - Gauri Media, Logically, Trylika, and Newsplus - run the Information Disorder Tackling Unit (IDTU), which has fact-checking, analytics, and training teams.

Also, read: Karnataka cops file 37 cases for 'derogatory' social media posts targeting politicians