Fake information can create tensions, endanger democratic values: CJI Chandrachud
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Flagging the risks of pretend information on this digital age, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Wednesday mentioned such misinformation has the aptitude of making tensions between communities thereby endangering democratic values.
Speaking on the Ramnath Goenka awards ceremony, the place he was the chief visitor, the CJI additionally mentioned the vibrancy of democracy is compromised if the press is prevented from talking fact to energy and pressured that the press should stay free if a rustic is to stay a democracy.
On media trials, he mentioned there have been situations the place the media has rendered an accused responsible within the eyes of the general public even earlier than the courts discover them so.
He mentioned as with each establishment, journalism can also be dealing with its personal challenges.
“Fake news poses a serious threat to the independence and impartiality of the press in the current society. It is the collective responsibility of journalists as well as other stakeholders to weed out any element of bias or prejudice from the process of reporting events…Fake news can misguide millions of people at once, and this will be in direct contradiction with the fundamentals of democracy which form the bedrock of our existence,” he mentioned.
He termed accountable journalism because the engine which drives democracy towards a greater future.
“Responsible journalism is the engine that drives democracy forward to a better tomorrow. In a digital age, it is more important than ever for journalists to be accurate, impartial, responsible, and fearless in their reporting,” he mentioned.
He asserted {that a} “functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment – or as it is commonly known, ‘speak truth to power’. The vibrancy of any democracy is compromised when the press is prevented from doing exactly this. The press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy”.
Referring to the Emergency period, when the Indian Express carried clean op-ed pages, CJI Chandrachud mentioned it’s a reminder of how highly effective silence is.
He mentioned that the Emergency period was a fearful time however such events additionally give rise to “fearless journalism” and therefore June 25, 1975, the day when the emergency was imposed, was a defining second in historical past.
“One proclamation defined and redefined our perceptions of liberty and threats to it and how tenuous it can be,” he mentioned, including that’s “why we celebrate these awards as symbolising our eternal sense of optimism on which we hope nation will continue.”
He mentioned journalists and attorneys and judges like him share one thing in frequent.
“Both share a belief in the saying ‘pen is mightier than the sword”, he mentioned.
He added judges and journalists additionally share the occupational hazard of being disliked by advantage of their professions -no straightforward cross to bear.
“But members of both professions keep at their daily tasks and hope that one day, the reputations of their professions will receive a makeover”, he mentioned.
The CJI added that journalists are continually engaged within the endeavour of simplifying complicated info for the consumption of the general public, which is often unaware of even probably the most fundamental info underlying the problems sought to be uncovered.
“This simplification of information must not be at the cost of accuracy, which further complicates the journalist’s job. This is true world over”, he mentioned, including that the media sparks debates and dialogue, that are step one in the direction of motion.”
“All societies inevitably become dormant, lethargic and immune to the problems that plague them. Journalism (in all its forms) is one of the key aspects which prods us out of this collective inertia. The media has always played and continues to play an important role in shaping the course of current events, and by extension, the course of history itself”, he mentioned.
Referring to the latest ‘MeToo motion’ the CJI mentioned it was sparked partly by the publication of tales in regards to the accusations of sexual harassment towards outstanding figures within the movie trade within the US.
“The ‘MeToo movement’ had cascading effects all across the world and was a watershed moment in history. In India, the media’s coverage of the rape of Jyoti, or Nirbhaya, by certain men in Delhi resulted in widespread protests and later, in reforms to criminal law. Even on a day-to-day basis, some news stories prompt questions and discussion in Parliament and in the legislative assemblies of states”, he mentioned.
He mentioned that the vibrancy of democracy is compromised when the press is prevented from talking fact to energy.
“The press must remain free if the country is to remain a democracy. Newspapers have historically acted as catalysts for social and political change”, he mentioned, including {that a} complete fact-checking mechanism needs to be in place as faux information can information or misguide tens of millions directly in contradiction to the basics of democracy.
Referring to media trials, he mentioned, “It is the job of the media to convey information to the public without violating the rights of the innocents. Responsible journalism is the beacon of truth and its drives democracy forward. We at present navigate challenges of the digital age and journalists have to maintain accuracy, impartiality, and fearlessness in their reporting.”
CJI Chandrachud mentioned that he too finds himself disagreeing with many media experiences.
“As citizens, we may not agree with the approach that a journalist has adopted or the conclusions that they reach. I, too, find myself disagreeing with many journalists. After all, who amongst us agrees with all other people? But disagreement must not distort into hatred and hatred must not be permitted to evolve into violence”, he mentioned
“No society should accept hatred as the new norm”, he mentioned, including that the relevance of the media was finest highlighted through the COVID-19 pandemic and print, digital and social media has helped in disseminating related info. The fiftieth Chief Justice of India mentioned that group journalism can assist set the agenda for the talk round these points on the coverage degree.
“Several studies have shown that composition of mainstream media is not reflective of all communities in India”, he mentioned, including {that a} diversified newsroom is crucial for the longevity of the media platforms and newsroom ought to signify the varied vary of reports and “journalism cannot be elitist”.
CJI Chandrachud, who handed over the awards to numerous journalists together with Viveck Goenka, Chairman and Managing Director of the Indian Express Group, mentioned that within the latest previous social media has given a brand new platform to journalists and led to democratisation of media.
NEW DELHI: Flagging the risks of pretend information on this digital age, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Wednesday mentioned such misinformation has the aptitude of making tensions between communities thereby endangering democratic values.
Speaking on the Ramnath Goenka awards ceremony, the place he was the chief visitor, the CJI additionally mentioned the vibrancy of democracy is compromised if the press is prevented from talking fact to energy and pressured that the press should stay free if a rustic is to stay a democracy.
On media trials, he mentioned there have been situations the place the media has rendered an accused responsible within the eyes of the general public even earlier than the courts discover them so.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );
He mentioned as with each establishment, journalism can also be dealing with its personal challenges.
“Fake news poses a serious threat to the independence and impartiality of the press in the current society. It is the collective responsibility of journalists as well as other stakeholders to weed out any element of bias or prejudice from the process of reporting events…Fake news can misguide millions of people at once, and this will be in direct contradiction with the fundamentals of democracy which form the bedrock of our existence,” he mentioned.
He termed accountable journalism because the engine which drives democracy towards a greater future.
“Responsible journalism is the engine that drives democracy forward to a better tomorrow. In a digital age, it is more important than ever for journalists to be accurate, impartial, responsible, and fearless in their reporting,” he mentioned.
He asserted {that a} “functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment – or as it is commonly known, ‘speak truth to power’. The vibrancy of any democracy is compromised when the press is prevented from doing exactly this. The press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy”.
Referring to the Emergency period, when the Indian Express carried clean op-ed pages, CJI Chandrachud mentioned it’s a reminder of how highly effective silence is.
He mentioned that the Emergency period was a fearful time however such events additionally give rise to “fearless journalism” and therefore June 25, 1975, the day when the emergency was imposed, was a defining second in historical past.
“One proclamation defined and redefined our perceptions of liberty and threats to it and how tenuous it can be,” he mentioned, including that’s “why we celebrate these awards as symbolising our eternal sense of optimism on which we hope nation will continue.”
He mentioned journalists and attorneys and judges like him share one thing in frequent.
“Both share a belief in the saying ‘pen is mightier than the sword”, he mentioned.
He added judges and journalists additionally share the occupational hazard of being disliked by advantage of their professions -no straightforward cross to bear.
“But members of both professions keep at their daily tasks and hope that one day, the reputations of their professions will receive a makeover”, he mentioned.
The CJI added that journalists are continually engaged within the endeavour of simplifying complicated info for the consumption of the general public, which is often unaware of even probably the most fundamental info underlying the problems sought to be uncovered.
“This simplification of information must not be at the cost of accuracy, which further complicates the journalist’s job. This is true world over”, he mentioned, including that the media sparks debates and dialogue, that are step one in the direction of motion.”
“All societies inevitably become dormant, lethargic and immune to the problems that plague them. Journalism (in all its forms) is one of the key aspects which prods us out of this collective inertia. The media has always played and continues to play an important role in shaping the course of current events, and by extension, the course of history itself”, he mentioned.
Referring to the latest ‘MeToo motion’ the CJI mentioned it was sparked partly by the publication of tales in regards to the accusations of sexual harassment towards outstanding figures within the movie trade within the US.
“The ‘MeToo movement’ had cascading effects all across the world and was a watershed moment in history. In India, the media’s coverage of the rape of Jyoti, or Nirbhaya, by certain men in Delhi resulted in widespread protests and later, in reforms to criminal law. Even on a day-to-day basis, some news stories prompt questions and discussion in Parliament and in the legislative assemblies of states”, he mentioned.
He mentioned that the vibrancy of democracy is compromised when the press is prevented from talking fact to energy.
“The press must remain free if the country is to remain a democracy. Newspapers have historically acted as catalysts for social and political change”, he mentioned, including {that a} complete fact-checking mechanism needs to be in place as faux information can information or misguide tens of millions directly in contradiction to the basics of democracy.
Referring to media trials, he mentioned, “It is the job of the media to convey information to the public without violating the rights of the innocents. Responsible journalism is the beacon of truth and its drives democracy forward. We at present navigate challenges of the digital age and journalists have to maintain accuracy, impartiality, and fearlessness in their reporting.”
CJI Chandrachud mentioned that he too finds himself disagreeing with many media experiences.
“As citizens, we may not agree with the approach that a journalist has adopted or the conclusions that they reach. I, too, find myself disagreeing with many journalists. After all, who amongst us agrees with all other people? But disagreement must not distort into hatred and hatred must not be permitted to evolve into violence”, he mentioned
“No society should accept hatred as the new norm”, he mentioned, including that the relevance of the media was finest highlighted through the COVID-19 pandemic and print, digital and social media has helped in disseminating related info. The fiftieth Chief Justice of India mentioned that group journalism can assist set the agenda for the talk round these points on the coverage degree.
“Several studies have shown that composition of mainstream media is not reflective of all communities in India”, he mentioned, including {that a} diversified newsroom is crucial for the longevity of the media platforms and newsroom ought to signify the varied vary of reports and “journalism cannot be elitist”.
CJI Chandrachud, who handed over the awards to numerous journalists together with Viveck Goenka, Chairman and Managing Director of the Indian Express Group, mentioned that within the latest previous social media has given a brand new platform to journalists and led to democratisation of media.
