media bias in india essay

Media Bias and Democracy in India

By  janani mohan.

• June 28, 2021

This article was originally published in South Asian Voices.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control in India, many are rightly focusing on the content of stories on the death toll and months of lockdown. The lack of journalistic integrity behind some of the stories deepens this grim situation. In April,  reports emerged  that, at the request of the Indian government, Twitter censored 52 tweets criticizing the government’s handling of the pandemic. Meanwhile, pro-government TV channels  blamed  the farmers’ protests for limited oxygen supplies for COVID-19 patients, though supplies were  actually scarce  due to poor public health infrastructure. This reporting is not only misleading and traumatic to those affected by the pandemic, but also poses a major threat to India’s vibrant democracy.

Even before the pandemic, media bias in India existed across the largest newspapers throughout the country, and political forces shape this bias. For example, funds from the government are critical to many newspapers’ operations and budgets, and the current Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has previously  refused to advertise  with newspapers that do not support its initiatives. This pressure leads media to endorse government policies, creating unbalanced reporting where media bias can affect political behavior in favor of the incumbent. Many media outlets enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the government, in turn receiving attention, funding, and prominence. These trends damage India’s democracy and also put journalists critical of the government in danger, threatening their right to physical safety.

Funds from the government are critical to many newspapers’ operations and budgets, and the current Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has previously refused to advertise with newspapers that do not support its initiatives.

Media Bias in India

While the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated media bias in India, it is hardly a new phenomenon. A  study  of 30 Indian newspapers and 41 Indian TV channels with the largest viewership rates in the country confirms the existence of rampant media bias during a two-year period from 2017 to 2018. 1

The study relies on rating editorial articles that focus on religious, gender, and caste issues as either liberal, neutral, or conservative; and then compiling these scores by each newspaper to find the overall bias in each outlet. The results unsurprisingly and unfortunately show the consistent existence of media bias—for example, except for eight newspapers, the papers all express biases far from neutral. And this bias consistently correlates with viewers in India expressing similarly biased social, economic, and security attitudes.

What this suggests is either that biases in the media shape viewer attitudes or Indians are viewing outlets that align with their pre-existing views. Meanwhile, political parties capitalize on this bias to influence public attitudes and further their own power. The BJP  spends  almost USD $140 million on publicity per year, with 43 percent of this expenditure focusing specifically on print ads in newspapers. Government advertisements serve as a financial lever for influencing media content and public opinion. For example, during the year leading to the 2019 elections, newspapers that received more advertisement revenue from the BJP were likelier to espouse more conservative ideology and to have more conservative readers.

Bias versus Democracy

This ability of media bias to influence political support in India can contribute significantly to democratic backsliding by harming journalists, preventing freedom of expression and government accountability, and influencing voters. Media bias in itself causes democratic backsliding because the media neither holding the government accountable nor informing the public about policies that strengthen the incumbent’s power can increase authoritarian practices.

In addition, government efforts to constrain the media harms journalists, undemocratically violating citizens’ rights and physical safety. Freedom House  rates  India as only two on a four-point scale for whether there is a “free and independent media,” because of “attacks on press freedom…under the Modi government.” In fact, the government  imprisoned several journalists  in 2020 who reported critically on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s response to the pandemic. The crackdown on journalists engendered an unsafe environment for free reporting, a feature of many authoritarian states.

A biased media also prevents citizens from receiving information that might be essential to public wellbeing by filtering information through a lens that supports government interests first. When the BJP cracked down on coverage of COVID-19 last year, journalists were  unable to disseminate  critical information to Indians. This included where migrants suffering from the sudden lockdown could receive necessities—information that could save lives. Notably, these crackdowns also meant an absence of reporting criticizing the government’s response to the pandemic. In a democratic society, a critical press is essential for holding the government accountable for its actions and motivating it to change its practices.  

Media bias plays an influencing role at the voting booth as propaganda can skew voter decisions and perceptions of what is true.

Finally, media bias plays an influencing role at the voting booth as propaganda can skew voter decisions and perceptions of what is true. During India’s 2014 general elections, the BJP advertised more than the Congress Party and voters exposed to more media were  likelier  to vote for the BJP. To influence voters, media bias often utilizes inflammatory messaging to convince more people to vote, selective information to bias what voters believe about the efficacy of the candidates, and appeasement to convince voters that they will personally benefit from voting a certain way. For example, a TimesNow interview of PM Modi before the 2019 elections  made it seem  that Modi’s economic policies—widely criticized as ineffectual—were successful.

From Media Bias to Media Neutrality

Although government measures are exacerbating media bias, the media retains some agency and could work to limit the influence of politics on reporting. Currently, 36 percent of daily newspapers  earn over half  of their total income from the government of India and most major TV stations have owners who served as politicians themselves or who had family members in politics. Although it would be difficult to convince larger outlets to participate since they benefit from their government backing, smaller independent outlets can start this movement towards neutrality. Many small outlets already eschew government funding and report with less biased views. These publications in India therefore deserve more attention and more support to reduce media bias.

While India has some of the  highest circulation  of newspapers in the world, it also unfortunately has high media bias rates and one of the  lowest press freedom rankings  for democracies. This media bias can contribute to democratic backsliding and must be addressed by media outlets. Only then can media in India properly do its job—serving to inform, not influence the public.

The author would like to acknowledge Dr. Pradeep Chhibber, Pranav Gupta, and UC Berkeley for supporting her research measuring media bias in India. All perspectives in this article are her own.

This article was originally published in  South Asian Voices.

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Indian media are extremely diverse, with thousands of outlets operating in multiple languages. Much of the media is controlled by large, for-profit corporations, many of them privately held, and mainly funded by advertising. But these business models are being disrupted by a rapid shift to online consumption – and the impact of COVID-19.

Legacy print news brands, including the most popular in the survey – Times of India , Hindustan Times , and The Hindu – and newspapers in general, have borne the brunt of the slowdown. The pandemic has hit print circulation and decreased advertisements, leading companies to slash salaries, cut jobs, and close editions across the country due to the drastic decline in economic activity in one of the world’s strictest lockdowns. 1 The industry has also had to cope with reduced government and commercial advertisement spending, which fell by more than half since the start of the pandemic. Leading news channel NDTV announced salary cuts for a time, while digital born-operator The Quint furloughed staff and was forced to close its planned TV division after three years’ unsuccessful attempts to get a broadcasting licence.

Despite the growing popularity of digital media with our surveyed audience, which tends to lean towards an urban and educated population, television remains the most popular source overall. India has altogether 392 news channels, dominated by regional language channels and private players. Broadcast television channels, like print media in India, are self-regulated and often have strong political affiliations and corporate ownership, with no regulations on cross-media ownership. A culture of 24×7 news channels operating on ‘Breaking news’ models and polarised debates often distort and sensationalise news.

In October last year, news channels faced a credibility crisis as their Television Rating Points (TRPs) published by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) came under scrutiny. Republic TV and two Marathi entertainment channels were accused by the Mumbai police of tampering with metering devices installed in selected sample households to boost their ratings. Despite these accusations, the considerable popularity enjoyed by Republic TV’s online and offline platforms – which have both increased considerably since our last survey in 2019 – perhaps indicate the growing popularity of right-wing ideology propagated by the ruling party in India.

India is one of the strongest mobile-focused markets in our global survey, with 73% accessing news through smartphones and just 37% via computer. India has more than 600 million active internet users, many of whom access the internet only through mobile phones – aided by low data charges and cheap devices.

Among our respondents, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Facebook are widely used for news and there have been serious problems with misinformation and hate speech. Individual members of the ruling BJP and groups aligned with the party are alleged to systematically spread false and misleading information via social media and other platforms. 2 In late 2020, Facebook India's policy head resigned after accusations that the company deliberately took a lenient line on ruling party supporters who allegedly violated hate speech rules with anti-Muslim posts. 3 In response, the number of independent fact-checking organisations has grown in recent years, with support from international tech companies and foundations, while mainstream media organisations have formed dedicated fact-checking and debunking teams.

With the growing popularity of online platforms, the Indian government has come up with controversial new proposals to expand the scope of existing legislation to social platforms, news websites, and Over the Top (OTT) content providers. In an apparent step to limit false and objectionable information on social media platforms, new guidelines expect platforms to trace the origin of information that can be misleading or objectionable based on an order from a court or competent authority. Authorities have on several occasions asked platform companies to block posts, including those by activists, journalists, and opposition politicians.

DigiPub, a group of digital news organisations formed in 2020, says these rules go against the ‘fundamental principles of news’, giving control to the government to remove news content online. India has consistently slipped in the Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders in the last few years, occupying 142nd position out of 180 countries. 4 RSF’s 2021 report notes journalists in India face increasing violence, trolling, and threats of rape and death on social media, along with excessive use of sedition laws for criticism of the government or its policies. Freedom House changed India’s status from ‘free’ to a ‘partly free’ country earlier this year. 5

Anjana Krishnan Research Associate, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai

Methodology note

These data are based on a survey of mainly English-speaking, online news users in India – a small subset of a larger, more diverse, media market. Respondents are generally more affluent, younger, have higher levels of formal education, and are more likely to live in cities than the wider Indian population. Findings should not be taken to be nationally representative.

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Legacy print brands and government broadcasters, DD News (Doordarshan) and All India Radio, retain high levels of trust among consumers. Print brands, in general, are more trusted than television brands, which are far more polarised and sensational in their coverage. Republic TV, despite its popularity as a news source, has lower trust scores than legacy print and television brands – and the highest levels of distrust.

1 For the period 2019–20, government ad spending in print was only $1.20 billion, compared to $2.74 billion in 2018–19, which in turn was almost half of $4.28 billion spent in 2017–18. https://caravanmagazine.in/data/fine-print

2 https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/how-modi-shah-turned-a-women-s-rights-ngo-into-a-secret-election-propaganda-machine_in_5ca5962ce4b05acba4dc1819

3 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-54715995

4 https://rsf.org/en/india

5 https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2021/democracy-under-siege

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Media Bias and Democracy in India

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control in India, many are rightly focusing on the content of stories on the death toll and months of lockdown. The lack of journalistic integrity behind some of the stories deepens this grim situation. In April, reports emerged that, at the request of the Indian government, Twitter censored 52 tweets criticizing the government’s handling of the pandemic. Meanwhile, pro-government TV channels blamed the farmers’ protests for limited oxygen supplies for COVID-19 patients, though supplies were actually scarce due to poor public health infrastructure. This reporting is not only misleading and traumatic to those affected by the pandemic, but also poses a major threat to India’s vibrant democracy.

Even before the pandemic, media bias in India existed across the largest newspapers throughout the country, and political forces shape this bias. For example, funds from the government are critical to many newspapers’ operations and budgets, and the current Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has previously refused to advertise with newspapers that do not support its initiatives. This pressure leads media to endorse government policies, creating unbalanced reporting where media bias can affect political behavior in favor of the incumbent. Many media outlets enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the government, in turn receiving attention, funding, and prominence. These trends damage India’s democracy and also put journalists critical of the government in danger, threatening their right to physical safety.

Funds from the government are critical to many newspapers’ operations and budgets, and the current Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government has previously refused to advertise with newspapers that do not support its initiatives.

Media Bias in India

The study relies on rating editorial articles that focus on religious, gender, and caste issues as either liberal, neutral, or conservative; and then compiling these scores by each newspaper to find the overall bias in each outlet. The results unsurprisingly and unfortunately show the consistent existence of media bias—for example, except for eight newspapers, the papers all express biases far from neutral. And this bias consistently correlates with viewers in India expressing similarly biased social, economic, and security attitudes.

What this suggests is either that biases in the media shape viewer attitudes or Indians are viewing outlets that align with their pre-existing views. Meanwhile, political parties capitalize on this bias to influence public attitudes and further their own power. The BJP spends almost USD $140 million on publicity per year, with 43 percent of this expenditure focusing specifically on print ads in newspapers. Government advertisements serve as a financial lever for influencing media content and public opinion. For example, during the year leading to the 2019 elections, newspapers that received more advertisement revenue from the BJP were likelier to espouse more conservative ideology and to have more conservative readers.

Bias versus Democracy

This ability of media bias to influence political support in India can contribute significantly to democratic backsliding by harming journalists, preventing freedom of expression and government accountability, and influencing voters. Media bias in itself causes democratic backsliding because the media neither holding the government accountable nor informing the public about policies that strengthen the incumbent’s power can increase authoritarian practices.

In addition, government efforts to constrain the media harms journalists, undemocratically violating citizens’ rights and physical safety. Freedom House rates India as only two on a four-point scale for whether there is a “free and independent media,” because of “attacks on press freedom…under the Modi government.” In fact, the government imprisoned several journalists in 2020 who reported critically on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s response to the pandemic. The crackdown on journalists engendered an unsafe environment for free reporting, a feature of many authoritarian states.

A biased media also prevents citizens from receiving information that might be essential to public wellbeing by filtering information through a lens that supports government interests first. When the BJP cracked down on coverage of COVID-19 last year, journalists were unable to disseminate critical information to Indians. This included where migrants suffering from the sudden lockdown could receive necessities—information that could save lives. Notably, these crackdowns also meant an absence of reporting criticizing the government’s response to the pandemic. In a democratic society, a critical press is essential for holding the government accountable for its actions and motivating it to change its practices.  

Media bias plays an influencing role at the voting booth as propaganda can skew voter decisions and perceptions of what is true.

Finally, media bias plays an influencing role at the voting booth as propaganda can skew voter decisions and perceptions of what is true. During India’s 2014 general elections, the BJP advertised more than the Congress Party and voters exposed to more media were likelier to vote for the BJP. To influence voters, media bias often utilizes inflammatory messaging to convince more people to vote, selective information to bias what voters believe about the efficacy of the candidates, and appeasement to convince voters that they will personally benefit from voting a certain way. For example, a TimesNow interview of PM Modi before the 2019 elections made it seem that Modi’s economic policies—widely criticized as ineffectual—were successful.

From Media Bias to Media Neutrality

Although government measures are exacerbating media bias, the media retains some agency and could work to limit the influence of politics on reporting. Currently, 36 percent of daily newspapers earn over half of their total income from the government of India and most major TV stations have owners who served as politicians themselves or who had family members in politics. Although it would be difficult to convince larger outlets to participate since they benefit from their government backing, smaller independent outlets can start this movement towards neutrality. Many small outlets already eschew government funding and report with less biased views. These publications in India therefore deserve more attention and more support to reduce media bias.

While India has some of the highest circulation of newspapers in the world, it also unfortunately has high media bias rates and one of the lowest press freedom rankings for democracies. This media bias can contribute to democratic backsliding and must be addressed by media outlets. Only then can media in India properly do its job—serving to inform, not influence the public.

The author would like to acknowledge Dr. Pradeep Chhibber, Pranav Gupta, and UC Berkeley for supporting her research measuring media bias in India. All perspectives in this article are her own.

Image 1: DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP via Getty Images

Image 2: Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images

• According to research I conducted while at the University of California, Berkeley.

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Biased Media is a Real Threat to Indian Democracy | UPSC Mains Essay Preparation PDF Download

Before discussing the issue at hand, it is very important to understand the terms ‘democracy’ and ‘free press/media’ in a practical sense. Democracy is a form of government that provides the right to the citizens of the country to elect their representatives. In such a system, the final decision-making authority remains with the elected government. It is for the welfare of the citizens of a country that any and every law is made. Thus it is a fundamental right of the people to be well informed of all that is happening within the government and around the nation. This is where the role of independent media comes to the fore, wherein the people get access to the latest information and updates related to important matters through different media channels. Media plays a vital role in every single country and is perhaps the most effective way of communicating a message to the masses. Without media, no one would really know what is going on in the country or worldwide. However, the mere presence of media isn’t enough. It needs to be independent of any outside influence, including that of the government. That is what makes it a free press/media. For the citizens to make informed decisions, there must be complete transparency on the part of the government as well as the media. A biased media, on the other hand, could pose a real threat to democracy. Media is said to be biased when the media houses have some vested interests, and the news being reported by them are not offered from an independent perspective. The problem of biased media is affecting some of the biggest democracies in the world, and it is an issue in India as well.

Indian Media

India is regarded as the largest democracy globally, and it is a matter of great pride for the people of the country. But that label in itself does not suffice. It is so very necessary to maintain that status, and the media plays a huge role in determining just how democratic a nation in reality is. In recent years, Indian media is losing its independent status with increased government and corporate involvement in what the media broadcasts and how it has become increasingly difficult to believe any news as being authentic. Media has become a means for the government and other groups with vested interests to portray a certain image, regardless of whether that is genuine. It has become a means to exaggerate many incidents, either to their own benefit or to the disadvantage of the opposition or any dissenting parties. Media has become the perfect way to mislead the general population and influence their opinions in the direction of the party or government in power. Issues like these make the citizens doubt the accountability of the press, and that is a major obstacle in the way of India becoming a great democracy.

Problems Associated with Biased Media

Here are some ways in which biased media can adversely affect the democratic nature of a country like India:

• Can influence public opinion: While not every single person is likely to believe everything they see or read, it is, however, true that a majority of people do. The media plays a key role in shaping opinions on a wide variety of issues. For example, if it blames a certain section of the society for a serious incident, it could lead to animosity towards and perhaps even alienation of that group. The media is more often than not used to marginalize, target or victimize certain groups since the masses are quite gullible.
• Mislead the public: Misuse of media is a dangerous way to mislead the citizens of a nation. Through the circulation of fake news, it could have the masses believing something far from the truth. For instance, by providing fake updates on a public project, the government could easily garner praise when, in fact, the project is nowhere near where it’s described.
• Can affect the country’s political future: By projecting a positive image of itself, by constantly presenting each development as a massive one, by appealing to a certain group, etc., all through the means of mass media, the government can gather a large number of supporters who are likely to vote for them in the future, thus ensuring that their political reign continues. Using the media to their advantage, the government can very easily ensure that things keep going smoothly in their desired direction.       
• Can cause confusion and panic: By exaggerating the severity of a situation or not giving adequate attention to a problem, the media can cause serious problems. It can lead to protests, riots, violence, or the spread of more fake news, which will again cause a lot of confusion and panic among citizens.

How to Tackle the Issue of a Biased Media

Just because a major political party or the government is pulling the strings of the country’s media, all is not over. Citizens are responsible for ensuring that the country remains a democracy where everyone has an equal right to speak and express opinions without fear of prosecution. Here are some ways to minimize the effects of biased media, especially in a country like India:

• Questioning everything: With the way the media no longer portrays an incident without depicting a certain point of view, it is necessary to not take anything at face value. The best way to avoid being caught up in the web of fake or biased news is to look at the incident from all angles before concluding. It would be stupid to believe everything being shown without questioning it with a pair of impartial eyes.
• Collecting all the facts: It is crucial to have all the details to know what it is all about. It is best not to form an opinion on the said issue with minimum information since it could lead to misconceptions and confusion. Using various forms of mass media, one can easily gather more facts.
• Being open to diverse opinions: What makes India democracy is its importance to accommodating many diverging opinions. It is important to be open to differing views to gain perspective and better knowledge about an issue. Being open to criticism and debate will create a conducive environment for more information to spread.
• Be aware of vested interests: Though one can only see what the government or media wishes to show, it is necessary to read between the lines and follow up with new developments to be aware of where they stand. This will serve as the base for future comparisons and opinion formation.

The important and powerful role that independent media can play in the nation's progress cannot be overstated. By highlighting the major issues facing the country, fixing the accountability, offering an open platform for dissenting views, and suggesting available solutions, media can ensure the strengthening of the democratic fabric of the country. It is, therefore, important for all the citizens of the country to work towards ensuring an independent media which is free from all types of biases.

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Challenges and Criticisms on India’s Media Bias

A ccording to a report by Reporters without Borders, India’s press freedom ranking dropped two places, and it was ranked 142nd out of 180 countries in 2020. The report cited that India’s journalists are “attacked online and physically,” and those who espouse Hindutva, the ideology that gave rise to Hindu nationalism, are trying to purge all manifestations of ‘anti-national’ thought from the national debate.

Media bias refers to the tendency of media outlets to present news and information that favors or disfavors certain groups, individuals, issues, or viewpoints. The concept of objectivity in journalism, which refers to fairness and neutrality in the gathering and dissemination of news and information, is often debated and challenged. India’s media market is one of the largest and most diverse in the world, catering to different languages, regions, and religions. However, it faces many challenges and criticisms, including political interference, corporate influence, sensationalism, misinformation, violence against journalists, and low press freedom rankings.

Many observers have accused Indian media outlets of being biased or lacking objectivity in their coverage of various issues, especially those related to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Some of the factors that contribute to media bias in India include government advertising revenue, ownership concentration, editorial pressure, market competition, audience preferences, and ideological affiliations.

One example of media bias in India is the coverage of the recent farmers’ protest against a raft of agriculture reform laws. The protest turned violent on 26 January 2021 when some protesters clashed with the police and stormed the historic Red Fort in Delhi. One protester died during the rally. While police said he died when the tractor he was driving overturned, his family alleged that he was shot. His family’s account was published by various newspapers and magazines. However, eight journalists who covered or shared the story were charged with sedition and other crimes by the police in four BJP-ruled states. The Editors Guild of India said that these cases were ‘an attempt to intimidate, harass, browbeat, and stifle the media’.

Another example of media bias in India is the reaction to foreign media reports that are critical of India’s policies or performance. Indian ministers and officials have often rebuked foreign media outlets for what they call their “racist”, “prejudiced”, or “malicious” coverage of India.

The issue of press freedom and access to information in India has been the subject of much debate and scrutiny, particularly in the context of the situation in Kashmir. In August 2019, the Indian government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, putting the region under direct federal control. Since then, the government has imposed a series of restrictions on the media in the region, including the detention of journalists, the suspension of mobile and internet services, and the imposition of curfews. These measures have made it difficult for journalists to report freely and accurately on the situation in Kashmir, and have had a chilling effect on freedom of expression.

The situation in Kashmir underscores the importance of a free and independent media in upholding the rule of law and promoting human rights. The media plays a critical role in holding governments accountable and providing citizens with accurate information. It is imperative that Indian media outlets uphold the principles of objectivity and professionalism in their reporting and resist any undue pressure or influence from any source. 

The Indian government has a responsibility to protect its citizens and maintain law and order, but it must do so in a manner that is consistent with the rule of law and the protection of fundamental human rights. The United Nations has also raised concerns about the restrictions on the media in Kashmir, with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression stating that the measures taken by the Indian government had a “disproportionate impact on the fundamental rights of everyone in Kashmir.

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Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2021 – Week 55 : Biased Media Is A Real Threat To Indian Democracy

Insights weekly essay challenges 2021 – week 55.

02 January 2021

Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words:

Biased Media Is A Real Threat To Indian Democracy

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BIASED MEDIA: A THREAT TO INDIAN DEMOCRACY

• Subject-wise Law Notes
• March 30, 2020

In the mass media era, the role of the media was universally regarded as fundamental to the proper functioning of the democratic state: the media’s capacity to provide information freely to all citizens ensured they had equal access to the democratic process. Media is being considered as the fourth pillar of democracy . It is easy to demonstrate how the flow of information could be manipulated and the power of the media abused. The modern era seems to be the of a media . In this world of technology we often come through fake news, hate speech, revenge porn and so on. In this article, I want to discuss some aspects of what we have got from the digital mediums so far, with a particular focus on the changing relationship between the media and democracy – and within that, the role of news, information and the practice of journalism. Media is being considered as “Silent revolution” in 21st century.

I INTRODUCTION

“Just because something is not a lie does not mean that it is not deceptive . A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.”

– Criss Jami

Media has played a significant role in establishing democracy throughout the world including India. Since 18th century the media has been instrumental in generating awareness and in spreading knowledge across the masses especially in the American Independence movement and the French Revolution . Media did the same work for India also . Media has played a very critical role even in colonial India. Media is like an eye of an eagle which keeps an eye on the activities of a state.

In our Independence media did the same work. The fallacies of British ruled government being good for the growth and development of colonial India were shattered by means of the media. Media has proved to be the sole source of information for our citizens (i.e. our Indian brothers) of colonial India to become aware of the arbitrariness and brutality of the British Colonial rule. Media played very significant role in communicating the non- humanitarian acts to the people of India. Media is considered as the fourth pillar of democracy along with Executive , legislation and Judiciary and rightly so.[1]Media was not only used after independence but before independence also. From pre- independence India where Mahatma Gandhi used journals “ Young India” and “Harijan” to communicate is message to the people of his country and also to organize National Movement in the country at the wider level. But today we use different/ newer method/media like social media.

II WHAT DOES DEMOCRACY MEAN ?

The world democracy has been conveniently interpreted as the right to vote. In a study , Ober has analysed the word “Democracy”. The origin of the word democracy is Greek word ,a combination of Demos (the people) and kratos (power), thus meaning “the power of the people” which, in turn , means “majority rule” by the people or their elected representatives. It is generally construed as the power to vote and elect a government.

However, Ober ( 2008) discuss how the word democracy actually means “capacity to do things” and not just “majority rule” . It is the power to be able to participate in the democratic process of a country , and not just power to vote a popular government to power. In democracy, every citizen has a right to freedom of expression. This also means that one can express in without the fear of any repercussion and without the fear of authority, and that the citizen and the authority are on an equal platform during the changes.[2] In short, in a democracy all citizens have equal right to voice their concerns, and to speak their mind.

In the recent elections 2019 Lok Sabha election it is apt to say that although role of media has undergone massive changes it still remains a critical pillar in the Indian democratic system . Media has played its very important role very well. However, it is necessary for the progression of media it is necessary that media of that should be free from any constraint and ill-pressure. However, the Independence of this crucial fourth pillar has often been threatened which has led to the doubts about its reliability and authenticity. Press censorship during the 1975 National Emergency to the more recent shutdown of a news channel during reporting of the 2016 Pathankot attack and Pulwama attack show restricted press freedom , with NGO reporters without borders ranking .

India has been ranked 140 and its abuses score is 65.25 as compared to the 2018 which has decreased to -2 in World press freedom index . Index indicating the same the World Press Freedom Index takes into account factors like pluralism , self-censorship, media independence, transparency, violence against journalists and media persons. India is being criticized in world for its sensationalism and manipulation of the fact by selective portrayal of the audiences like mostly news is presented to the masses by concealing facts.

Social media has added to the Fire of Sensationalism. With the urgent need to know the information and dispense it amongst the masses first has often led to mis-reporting of fake news resulting in controversies and defamation in some cases. For example GPS chip in 500 and 2000 Rs. notes after demonetisation.

In common parlance social media is seen synonymous with Facebook , Twitter, WhatsApp, LinkedIn etc. However, social media goes beyond this and has a broader scope. It is an umbrella term that refers to various websites in application that enables users to create share content, interact and to participate in social networking and to put out their views on the social networking. Social media has been often described as a “Silent Revolution” of the “21st century”. Movements initiated from these platforms like – #MetooMovement , #BlackLivematters and various schemes of the Government of India also have been launched from these platforms and are communicated to the masses.

United Nations has made internet access a human right. Recently Supreme Court has declared right to Internet access as a Fundamental right of every Indian . It is said that social media is a light arm of anarchy, because it can be used as a measure to disturb the tranquility of any Nation and to a very extent this is true it affects the peace of a nation . Social media is being used by terror organisations like ISIS to fulfil their agenda and disturb the political and economic stability of the country as this affects very badly. Social media is being used by Isis to promote religious fundamentalism and favouritism in the country.[3]

Recently last year a scene of Bhojpuri was circulated in West Bengal which led to communal rights in society and polarisation of society . Social media is also used for spreading fake news deliberately so that a particular segment of people can benefit from that joke, rumours . For example few years back a news spread that there was lynching of north eastern people in Bangalore which resulted in mass Exodus from the Bangalore of north eastern people . Another rumour spread that there were some people who slaughtered cow and the public in fit of Rage of anger they lynched the people. Another incident that took place in up that there were some people abducting children. This rumour spreaded so fast that people without any reason targeted some people and burst their anger on another people .

Every political party use media selflessly to promote their policies agenda and illiciting support for their campaign. Social media also become a platform to glorify political leaders prior to elections. With no proper regulatory Framework in place for social media, this avenue is often violated to spread fake news , a tool for propaganda as well as foreign interference in domestic election. Social media sometime prove to be adda of some religious people as they are staunch followers of some particular group because of these views violence in society is there .[4]

Last year a guy in Mumbai try to resorted to suicide because he was threatened by people of religious Organisation own his views on a religious topic. If media can create a war between two parties it can create peace also . Indian government’s external affairs ministry did a tremendous job in providing relief to foreign citizens of the India. Another example is Delhi Metro which uses its Twitter handle to inform the open and closure of gates. Social media became the voice of voiceless people of the society .

Movements like #Metoomovement started which allowed the women to come and file a case against a sexual harassment at workplace. Jon Ranson has said that it has given voice to the voiceless people. Personalities like Nana Patekar ,director Harvey Weinstein and various personalities were there which were caught in this . Social media has played an important role in economic front social media is being used on all interfaces for the promotion in their products . Social media is a medium to raise a voice against government policies and social evils prevailing in a society . Now there has emerged a fifth pillar of a democracy i.e. Social Media.

Social media has become means of free speech and expression guaranteed under the article 19 of Indian constitution this can be manifested from the Supreme Court decision on right to internet as a fundamental right. Social media is proliferating a very good ideas and effecting both positively and negatively there is a need to regulate it . Government should come up with a legislation to regulate social media. Just like a car without the handle is of no use same is with these platforms if they are contolled they can prove to be very dangerous in future. There is need to focus on privacy front as well so that the data cannot be used as a threat to personal and national security. Awareness and awakening about use of social media in need to be increased specially among the youth so that they can maximize on positive front of social media and minimise its ill effect . Indeed social media is a double edged sword if not handled with care might cause harm to you badly . It has transformed the way thinking . it has led to violation of privacy, fake news .

In US where democracy is said to be started has also been in news due to its scandal in election.[5] The Cambridge Analytica scandal where in Facebook data was stolen and has been used to influence the people behaviour towards their respective candidates . Social media’s gruesome face has been seen in the US 2016 elections.[6] Media bias varies in its form sensationalism to story selection and placement as well as omission and selection of content while portraying a story. Often holistic view is deleted and biased extreme lables are promoted to define groups and politicians.[7]

Moreover a recent research project called Media Ownership Monitor carried out in India by reporters without borders and data leads has found excessive political control over media. And the news over which political parties have their influence loses its credibility . News reported within person’s pressure not only loses its credibility but also its authenticity.[8] Like it may not be suitable take a name of a news channel but there are various channels which are owned by the members of the party in power then how can we expect that the news provided by the channels will be given in an impartial manner and will be giving authentic matter. The gradual crippling of democracy is also evident from the concentration of media content in a few hands like 76% of Indians use social media and radio is also owned by the state so it is monopolised. Amartya Sen sees the media as a watchdog not just against corruption but also against disaster. He said “There has never been a famine in a functioning multiparty democracy .A free press and the practice of democracy contribute greatly to bringing out information that can have an enormous impact on policies for famine prevention a free press and an active political opposition constitute the best early-warning system a country threatened by famine could have .[9]

The key issue is the lack of proper regulation of media in India and toothless nature of the Press Council of India. The lack of regulation has increased cross holding and corporate and political lobbying and ownership. The increasing rate for TRP to get advertising revenues had further led to more sensationalized news with minimal forces on development like social welfare government schemes and awareness of the general masses with the rise of social media .

Urgent reforms are need of the hour to revamp the outdated regulation for media in India. When Press Council of India was formed in 1978, media only comprised of newspaper, journals, magazines and TV channels . With increase of internet social media platforms are at its peak so they must also be regulated within the same ambit . The Tamil Nadu government has initiated steps in this regard for social media accountability by proposing to link Aadhaar with social media accounts. Anti-nationalist use media for the radicalisation of the youth and it targets the miserable sections of the society for the polarization of the politics also being promoted by the media while also encouraging hero worship tendencies. The era where media was considered as a guardian of a country and constitution .

Keeping a check on the government and encouraging substantial debate among the masses on critical national issues to participate in democracy is starting fade away. The aforementioned quote by the states that selective truths can lead to weapon of destruction. In the same manner you must look at creating genuinely Independent and transparent system for the media and ensure ownership restricting in cross holding .The Leveson Committee Department of 2012 of UK can be a great static point to adapt into the Indian context ensuring right to free speech in press while curtailing exploitation and misuse of the same . As Victor Hugo said, “No power can on earth can stop an idea whose time has come.” Today this power is social media.

[1] https://opentextbc.ca/mediastudies101/chapter/media-and-democracy/

[2] Dr. K. John Babu, Media and Human rights

[3] Andrew Dewdney and Peter Ride, The new media handbook , London And New York, Taylors and Francis Group

[4] Silvio Waisbord , Media Sociology, Jaipur, Rawat Publications.

[5] https://democracy-reporting.org/country/social-media-and-democracy

[6] https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/11319/media-democracy-and-governance

[7] https://legaldesire.com/role-of-media-in-democracy/

[8] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/22/18177076/social-media-facebook-far-right-authoritarian-populism

[9] https://legaldesire.com/role-of-media-in-democracy/

Author Details: Rakesh Kumar is a student at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University , Lucknow.

The views of the Author are personal only.

(Source: Juscholars Journal, Volume 1, Issue 3)

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Biased Media is a real threat to Indian Democracy..

Media are the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or data. The term refers to components of the mass media communications industry, such as print media, publishing, the news media, photography, cinema, broad casting (radio and television) and advertising.

Biased journalist or biased news channel shows that all policies and steps of government or apolitical party is always right, they do not criticize government for their wrong work and this will harm the democracy or country because criticism is the backbone of democracy, criticism keeps the government on right track, and media is the fourth pillar of democracy, media keeps democracy alive.

Security implications from Social Media:

As technology is a double edged sword. The large numbers, speed, anonymity and secrecy attached to these conversations have far reaching security implications. Subversive actors have proved in recent years that they are particularly adept at utilizing the Internet and social media to facilitate their activities.

The security implications include:

• Radicalization: Terrorist groups like Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda and countries like Pakistan have been extremely effective in using social media to radicalize people and position them to commit violent acts.
• Terrorism: Many terror modules were busted by police in India, all of whose members were groomed, trained, funded and armed by their handlers on social networking sites. World over, there are cases of terrorist operations, especially lone wolf attacks, being coordinated through social media.
• Incitement of riots through hateful posts and communal videos. E.g. Hate videos were circulated before the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013. Pakistan's ISI is known to incite violence by circulating fake videos on social media to incite riots.
• Cyber-crime: These include cyber bullying or stalking, financial frauds, identity theft etc.
• Divulgence of sensitive information: Forces posted in sensitive locations are prone to giving away their locations and assets on social media.
• Influencing democratic processes: The latest emerging threat to national interests is the use of these sites to influence and subvert democratic processes by actors both from within and from enemy countries. Examples recently were seen in US Presidential elections and Brexit referendum.
• Cyber espionage: Sensitive information from the mobile phones used by security personnel can be stolen using malware and social media.

Following Measures should be taken to deal with these threats:

• Legal Provisions: IT Act 2000 under Sections 69 and 69A provides government with the power to intercept and block any information, as well as punish perpetrators, in the interest of security and public order etc. The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and IPC also have provisions against spreading hatred between groups, inciting violence and the intent or act of terrorist activities.
• Security agencies: Government agencies including National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) and Intelligence agencies actively track terrorist activity on the social media. State police also have their own social media cells, like the highly effective Mumbai's Social Media Lab.
• Centralized Monitoring System (CMS): To automate the process of lawful interception and monitoring of the internet in the country. It has come into operation in Mumbai and will soon spread to other areas.
• De-radicalisation: The Union Home Ministry initiated counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation strategy in sync with cultural, education and employment activities to counter the threat.
• Guidelines for armed forces: The Government of India issued updated guidelines in 2016 for regulating sharing of secret operational and service data on social media platforms.
• Monitoring social networking companies: The activities and influence of social networking sites is also being monitored by the government so that they prevent misuse of their platforms for subversive activities and other cyber threats.
• International Cooperation is being promoted to deal with the often transnational nature of the threats.

In view of the broad threat posed by social media, the Union government needs to come up with a National Social Media Policy. All possible legal, administrative and security related efforts must be taken up to check the use of social media for subversive purposes. However, the need for privacy and security has to be balanced carefully.

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Biased Mainstream Media Carries Grave Consequences for Indian Democracy

Curated By : Priyanka Deo

Last Updated: March 18, 2020, 15:33 IST

Image for representation

It is about time for mainstream media to really think about how to sell objective reporting.

A majority of people in multiple countries distrust the media. They are justified in doing so. In India, especially, the media is ‘biased’ on multiple counts, not just in political leaning, but going so far as to partially report or misreport big and small news. As a result, a false narrative is published and consumed by millions. And this seriously threatens Indian democracy.

Partial reporting and misinformation was evident with the coverage of the recent Delhi Riots. Untruthful narratives were not just seen in Indian media outlets but unfortunately also in major international mainstream media. Exactly how have these platforms sold an incorrect narrative? All have either distorted, outright lied, misquoted and/or even gone so far as cropped images. What’s more, in India these days, it seems that it is acceptable that mainstream media ridicules global pandemics and insults national leaders.

Take, for instance, a recent article on the nomination of the Chief Justice of India to the Rajya Sabha. ‘Kovind, not Covid, did it,’ read the title on the front page. It was not the article but the headline that sent tremors of anger among citizens across social media. The first thing wrong with the title was that it downplayed a global pandemic with a pun. The author’s attempt at wittiness failed miserably by mocking coronavirus. It was even worse that the article had nothing to do with coronavirus. Even if it did, it is absolutely unacceptable to create a quip out of a sensitive worldwide contagion. Citizens and leaders are going so far as to socially isolate themselves. Stock markets are plunging. Workplaces are shutting down. The Centre has issued an order for no public gatherings. The number of cases of coronavirus continues to rise as does fear and paranoia across the planet. Certainly not something for media to make fun of.

The second thing they got wrong was insulting a national leader. As a journalist myself, of course I have objectively criticised national figures and issues in my articles. This is part of the job for every journalist and this is what makes media sell. But since when are insulting the President of India and comparing him with a global pandemic considered ‘free speech’? It’s malicious, derogatory and an outright caste-ist slur. President Ram Nath Kovind is a well-respected leader coming from a Dalit background. In fact, he is the second Dalit leader to become the Commander-In-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces and the Head of State. He is also the first leader from Uttar Pradesh to attain the highest constitutional position of India.

His beginnings? Born in a mud hut and the youngest of five siblings. Belonging to the Kori caste; a caste considered underprivileged even among the Dalits. He walked close to 10 kilometres one way to attend school because he didn’t have a bicycle.

From these meagre beginnings, Kovind serves the nation today. His story is inspirational and moving. A poor boy from a village near Kanpur rises and becomes the 14th President of India, working assiduously for the people of India. A leader who embodies equality in society and integrity in public life. President Kovind is also one of the most popular Indian leaders on social media with close to eight million followers on Twitter, over five million on Facebook and one million on Instagram.

With just one cheap shot title, the paper not only insulted the President but also managed to undermine his inspirational professional journey. By the way, paper is published by a group which has been called out multiple times for their anti-establishment stand. The key question that then arises is what is the impact India faces with continued unethical reporting by media giants?

With recent events like CAA implementation and the Delhi Riots, mainstream media’s unscrupulous reporting has surely achieved one more thing besides selling a misinformed narrative to the world. It has caused exponentially increased communalism and caste alienation among the Indian masses. This is why, in 2020, it is not uncommon to hear the refusal of employment, services and/or even rental accommodation from persons of one community to another. Vote banks still exist. Communal digs are thrown without a second thought as a means to gain more hits and likes for individuals’ social media platforms. Casteism continues to create disunion.

Despite this, mainstream media continues to shamelessly insult, chinwag and make things up for profit. It continues to create clickbait for more hits, likes and shares. It finds no shame in making up sensational headlines, insults national leaders for no objective reason, resorts to outright lying to make a more dramatic story and finds no dishonour in publishing a partially and/or misreported narrative.

Although the Press Council of India has taken note of the satirical headline on the President, more stringent measures need to be taken with all mainstream media. If journalism continues the way it is going in India, we are undoubtedly headed towards turbulent times with perilous costs. The merger of technology with media will regularise fake reporting through new avenues like morphed videos.

Instead of being a fundamental pillar of democracy, media will become a deceitful, distrustful and dangerous institution to the country. Communal and caste divisions will only increase. In a diverse nation like India, this has severe impacts. Disrespect, distrust, hatred, division, hurt, damage and fatality to innocent citizens at a large scale. Real world damage and division caused by incorrect reporting of the Delhi riots took no time at all to wreak havoc. The insulting headline towards President Kovind sparked national debates on casteism on social media.

It is about time for mainstream media to really think about how to sell objective reporting. That is, if they are vested in the progression of the country. We live in times where bad news sells. But it is only the media and funders of these media platforms that can completely change this around. Stop the incorrect reporting. Ban fake news. Make it not okay to insult leaders without any objective cause. The misinformation is creating alienation, ignorance and misinformed extremism among the people. It won’t be long before Indian democracy completely falls apart.

(The author is an alumna of Harvard University, The London School of Economics and Political Science, and University of Southern California. Views expressed are personal.)

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The AllSides Media Bias Chart™ helps you to easily identify different perspectives and political leanings in the news so you can get the full picture and think for yourself.

Knowing the political bias of media outlets allows you to consume a balanced news diet and avoid manipulation, misinformation, and fake news. Everyone is biased, but hidden media bias misleads and divides us. The AllSides Media Bias Chart™ is based on our full and growing list of over 2,400 media bias ratings . These ratings inform our balanced newsfeed .

The AllSides Media Bias Chart™ is more comprehensive in its methodology than any other media bias chart on the Web. While other media bias charts show you the subjective opinion of just one or a few people, our ratings are based on multipartisan, scientific analysis, including expert panels and surveys of thousands of everyday Americans.

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This chart does not rate accuracy or credibility. A publication can be accurate, yet biased. Learn why AllSides doesn't rate accuracy.

Unless otherwise noted, these bias ratings are based on online written content , not TV, radio, or broadcast content.

Here's how the AllSides Media Bias Chart™ differs from other media bias charts:

• Data is gathered from many people across the political spectrum — not just one biased individual or a very small, elite group. We have a patent on rating bias and use multiple methodologies , not an algorithm. Our methods are : Blind Bias Surveys of Americans, Editorial Reviews by a multipartisan team of panelists who look for common types of media bias , independent reviews, and third party data.
• Our research spans years — we started rating media bias back in 2012.
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• We consider and review data and research conducted by third parties , like universities and other groups.
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• We don't rate accuracy — just bias. Our ratings help readers to understand that certain facts may be missing if they read only outlets from one side of the political spectrum.

Americans are more polarized than ever — if you’re like us, you see it in the news and on your social media feeds every day. Bias is natural, but hidden bias and fake news misleads and divides us. That’s why AllSides has rated the media bias of over 2,400 sources. and put it into a media bias chart. The AllSides Media Bias Chart™ shows the political bias of some of the most-read sources in America.

The outlets featured on the AllSides Media Bias Chart™ have varying degrees of influence. Read about whether conservative or liberal media outlets are more widely read .

Frequently Asked Questions about the AllSides Media Bias Chart

Why does the bias of a media outlet matter, how does allsides calculate media bias, how did allsides decide which media outlets to include on the chart, what do the bias ratings mean, does a center rating mean neutral, unbiased, and better, why are some media outlets on the chart twice, does allsides rate which outlets are most factual or accurate, where can i see past versions of the chart, where can i learn more, i disagree with your media bias ratings. where can i give you feedback.

News media, social media, and search engines have become so biased, politicized, and personalized that we are often stuck inside filter bubbles , where we’re only exposed to information and ideas we already agree with. When bias is hidden and we see only facts, information, and opinions that confirm our existing beliefs , a number of negative things happen: 1) we become extremely polarized as a nation as we misunderstand or hate the "the other side," believing they are extreme, hateful, or evil; 2) we become more likely to be manipulated into thinking, voting, or behaving a certain way; 3) we become limited in our ability to understand others, problem solve and compromise; 4) we become unable to find the truth.

It feels good to hear from people who think just like us, and media outlets have an incentive to be partisan — it helps them to earn ad revenue, especially if they use sensationalism and clickbait . But when we stay inside a filter bubble, we may miss important ideas and perspectives. The mission of AllSides is to free people from filter bubbles so they can better understand the world — and each other. Making media bias transparent helps us to easily identify different perspectives and expose ourselves to a variety of information so we can avoid being manipulated by partisan bias and fake news. This improves our country long-term, helping us to understand one another, solve problems, know the truth, and make better decisions.

Media bias has contributed to Americans becoming more politically polarized .

At AllSides, we reduce the one-sided information flow by providing balanced news  from both liberal and conservative news sources, and over 2,400 media bias ratings . Our tools help you to better understand diverse perspectives and reduce harmful, hateful polarization in America. By making media bias transparent and consuming a balanced news diet, we can arm ourselves with a broader view — and find the truth for ourselves.

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Our media bias ratings are based on multi-partisan, scientific analysis. Our methodologies include Blind Bias Surveys of Americans, Editorial Reviews by a panel of experts trained to spot bias , independent reviews, third party data, and community feedback. Visit our Media Bias Rating Methodology page to learn more.

We consider multiple factors including how much traffic the source has according to Pew Research Center and Similarweb , and how many searches for the bias of that outlet land on AllSides.

We also include outlets that represent outlier perspectives. For example, Jacobin magazine is included because it represents socialist thought, while Reason magazine is included because it represents libertarian thought.

These are subjective judgements made by AllSides and people across the country. Learn our rough approximation for what the media bias ratings mean:

Left - Lean Left - Center - Lean Right - Right

Center doesn't mean better! A Center media bias rating does not mean the source is neutral, unbiased, or reasonable, just as Left and Right do not necessarily mean the source is extreme, wrong, or unreasonable. A Center bias rating simply means the source or writer rated does not predictably publish content that tilts toward either end of the political spectrum — conservative or liberal. A media outlet with a Center rating may omit important perspectives, or run individual articles that display bias, while not displaying a predictable bias. Center outlets can be difficult to determine, and there is rarely a perfect Center outlet: some of our outlets rated Center can be better thought of as Center-Left or Center-Right, something we clarify on individual source pages.

While it may be easy to think that we should only consume media from Center outlets, AllSides believes reading in the Center is not the answer. By reading only Center outlets, we may still encounter bias and omission of important issues and perspectives. For this reason, it is important to consume a balanced news diet across the political spectrum, and to read horizontally across the bias chart. Learn more about what an AllSides Media Bias Rating™ of Center rating means here.

We sometimes provide separate media bias ratings for a source’s news content and its opinion content. This is because some outlets, such as the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times , have a notable difference in bias between their news and opinion sections.

For example, on this chart you will see The New York Times Opinion is rated as a Left media bias, while the New York Times news is rated Lean Left .

When rating an opinion page, AllSides takes into account the outlet's editorial board and its individual opinion page writers. The editorial board’s bias is weighted, and affects the final bias rating by about 60%.

For example, the New York Times has a range of individual Opinion page writers, who have a range of biases. We rate the bias of commentators individually as much as possible. Yet The New York Times Editorial Board has a clear Left media bias. We take into account both the overall biases of the individual writers and the Editorial Board to arrive at a final bias rating of Left for the New York Times opinion section .

See how we provide individual bias ratings for New York Times opinion page writers here .

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Essays in Information Demand and Utilization

The rise of digital media has allowed for unprecedented access to information. In particular, people are able to form beliefs based on information sources that span the full spectrum of reputation, information quality, and motivated biases. Such access is a double-edged sword because “with great power, comes great responsibility” (“Spider-Man”, 2002). Heterogeneity in information quality may be due to a variety of factors, and it is often up to the consumer to consider quality signals when evaluating the quality of information. My research explores this complicated process, and contributes to the understanding of how people demand and utilize information in different environments. I do so over three chapters. The first studies how people respond to signals of information quality in a sequential prediction game. In the second chapter, biased incentives are introduced in a prediction game experiment to test how intrinsic and extrinsic biases affect demand and utilization of information. The third chapter contains a survey in which subjects report their valuations of an X account that varies on political affiliation, occupation credentials, and number of followers.

My first chapter focuses on how subjects respond to signals of information quality. In it, subjects predict which of two urns was randomly chosen in each of 30 rounds. They observe a private ball drawn from the selected urn each round to help them make their prediction. The color of the ball signals the urn it came from. The subjects then sequentially broadcast their belief about which urn was selected for the session without revealing the color of the observed ball. Future subjects can use the previous broadcasts to infer additional information that may help them accurately predict the urn.

In the control, subjects exhibit very low utilization of previous predictions when informing their own behavior. While consistent with prior research, behaving in such a manner is suboptimal. To experiment on the malleability of subjects’ beliefs about the rationality of others, I implement two novel treatments. In the first, the subjects’ prediction order in the last 15 rounds is determined by their accrued earnings in the first 15 rounds, with highest earners predicting first. The prediction order is similarly determined in the second treatment, except a quiz on conditional updating ability is used. Subjects who score the highest on the quiz predict first. In both cases, the sorting mechanism is explained to the subjects.

Sorting on earnings yields a modest increase in valuations of previous subjects’ predictions. A much more significant increase is observed when sorting on ability. Additionally, the subjects who make the fewest irrational predictions (ones against the color of the ball when they do not have additional information to suggest otherwise) are the ones who score the best in the ability sort. Placing them at the beginning of rounds increases the entire round’s average earnings.

My second chapter uses a similar environment to study the role that bias plays in demanding and utilizing information. In it, participants predict which of two states (red or blue) each of 30 rounds was assigned. To aid them, participants observe two predictions from ‘experts,’ who are informed by a private signal with a known precision. Participants can bid to receive additional information about the state from two sources: a private signal and another independent expert’s prediction. Both sources’ precision is known. This method is the first of its kind, and allows for direct comparison between information types. The bid results are revealed once this process is complete. Participants then predict the state.

Two innovative treatments are implemented to implement bias into the basic environment exogenously. In the first, participants receive a small bonus each time they predict the state is blue. In the second, experts receive the same bonus each time they predict the state is blue instead of the participants. Surprisingly, participants value the private signal and additional expert’s prediction similarly, except when the experts are biased. This is a departure from most research using similar environments, which assume that some sub-optimal behavior can be attributed to mistrust in others’ ability to understand the environment. That assumption may warrant further and more careful evaluation. The most striking valuation behavior is when participants are biased. Their bids are higher when their existing information set already favors their bias, relative to when it is against it. Doing so is antithetical to the rational equilibrium and inconsistent with prior research on confirmation bias.

Participants generally utilize information obtained from a successful bid at a lower rate when it is against the initial experts than with it. No difference is detected between information sources. This is expected, albeit inconsistent with rational decision-making. One exception is noted. When participants are biased, they use the newly obtained information at a much higher rate when it is consistent with their bias than against it. Doing so is at odds with bidding behavior, as it implies participants bid more to receive information that they utilize less. Participants generally do a much better job of rationalizing and responding to the experts’ bias than their own in the experiment.

My third chapter is motivated partly by the findings in my first two chapters, using a more contextualized setting. In it, subjects are presented with a series of X account versions. The versions vary on political affiliation, occupation credentials, and number of followers. Subjects are asked to rate how much they would value information from each account version. Subjects value account versions with an unrevealed political party affiliation more than their analogs which report a party affiliation, regardless of the party or the subject’s beliefs.

A partisan penalty is uniformly implemented. Additionally, credentials are insufficient to overcome bias concerns. The penalty assessed to an account version aligning with a party is similar when the version has high credentials versus when it does not. Followers are also a valuable resource, regardless of political affiliation or credential levels. The marginal value that followers provide is similar for all account versions, meaning that even relative experts in a field should seek validation if they want to be valued by others.

Previous research would expect subjects to value versions more when they are congruent with their own beliefs, so these findings are surprising. Two groups are identified as the most likely to deviate and value same-typed account versions more: subjects who believe echo chambers are good and subjects who are concerned they have believed fake news in the past. The former group does not require a significant number of followers to highly value a politically congruent account version. The latter value politically unaffiliated accounts even more, but are more skeptical of opposition account versions and are even more sensitive to the number of followers they have.

These three chapters explore new avenues for researching how biases and expertise are evaluated and responded to. People are generally much better at considering the potential biases that others have than rationalizing their own biases. I also find good news in an era of heightened concern about eroding trust in experts. In each case, subjects respond to signals of expertise, and demonstrate efforts to exploit the information that experts provide.

Krannert Doctoral Funds

Degree type.

• Doctor of Philosophy

Campus location

• West Lafayette

Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair

Additional committee member 2, additional committee member 3, additional committee member 4, usage metrics.

• Experimental economics
• Behavioural economics
• Public economics - public choice

What happened in the Kolkata rape case that triggered doctors’ protests?

Activists and doctors in India demand better safeguarding of women and medical professionals after a trainee medic was raped and murdered in Kolkata.

Activists and doctors across India continued to protest on Wednesday to demand justice for a female doctor, who was raped and murdered while on duty in a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata.

Feminist groups rallied on the streets in protests titled “Reclaim the Night” in Kolkata overnight on Wednesday – on the eve of India’s independence day – in solidarity with the victim, demanding the principal of RG Kar Medical College resign. Some feminist protesters also marched well beyond Kolkata, including in the capital Delhi.

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While the protests were largely peaceful, a small mob of men stormed the medical college and vandalised property. This group was dispersed by the police.

This comes after two days of nationwide protests by doctors following the incident at RG Kar Medical College in West Bengal’s capital city. “Sit-in demonstrations and agitation in the hospital campus will continue,” one of the protesting doctors, identified as Dr Mridul, told Al Jazeera.

Services in some medical centres were halted indefinitely, and marches and vigils shed light on issues of sexual violence, as well as doctors’ safety in the world’s most populous nation.

What happened to the doctor in Kolkata?

A 31-year-old trainee doctor’s dead body, bearing multiple injuries, was found on August 9 in a government teaching hospital in Kolkata.

The parents of the victim were initially told “by hospital authorities that their daughter had committed suicide,” lawyer and women’s rights activist Vrinda Grover told Al Jazeera. But an autopsy confirmed that the victim was raped and killed.

Grover has appeared for victims in sexual violence cases in India in the past, including Bilkis Bano , a Muslim woman who was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots, and Soni Sori, a tribal activist based in Chhattisgarh state.

Thousands of doctors marched in Kolkata on Monday, demanding better security measures and justice for the victim.

On Tuesday, the Kolkata High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) called for a nationwide halting of elective services in hospitals starting on Monday. Elective services are medical treatments that can be deferred or are not deemed medically necessary.

On Tuesday, FORDA announced on its X account that it is calling off the strike after Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda accepted protest demands.

One of these demands was solidifying the Central Protection Act, intended to be a central law to protect medical professionals from violence, which was proposed in the parliament’s lower house in 2022, but has not yet been enacted.

FORDA said that the ministry would begin working on the Act within 15 days of the news release, and that a written statement from the ministry was expected to be released soon.

Press release regarding call off of strike. In our fight for the sad incident at R G Kar, the demands raised by us have been met in full by the @OfficeofJPNadda , with concrete steps in place, and not just verbal assurances. Central Healthcare Protection Act ratification… pic.twitter.com/OXdSZgM1Jc — FORDA INDIA (@FordaIndia) August 13, 2024

Why are some Indian doctors continuing to protest?

However, other doctors’ federations and hospitals have said they will not back down on the strike until a concrete solution is found, including a central law to curb attacks on doctors.

Those continuing to strike included the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), Delhi-based All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indira Gandhi Hospital, local media reported.

Ragunandan Dixit, the general secretary of the AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association, said that the indefinite strike will continue until their demands are met, including a written guarantee of the implementation of the Central Protection Act.

Medical professionals in India want a central law that makes violence against doctors a non-bailable, punishable offence, in hopes that it deters such violent crimes against doctors in the future.

Those continuing to protest also call for the dismissal of the principal of the college, who was transferred. “We’re demanding his termination, not just transfer,” Dr Abdul Waqim Khan, a protesting doctor told ANI news agency. “We’re also demanding a death penalty for the criminal,” he added.

“Calling off the strike now would mean that female resident doctors might never receive justice,” Dr Dhruv Chauhan, member of the National Council of the Indian Medical Association’s Junior Doctors’ Network told local news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).

Which states in India saw doctors’ protests?

While the protests started in West Bengal’s Kolkata on Monday, they spread across the country on Tuesday.

The capital New Delhi, union territory Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow and city Prayagraj, Bihar capital Patna and southern state Goa also saw doctors’ protests.

Who is the suspect in the Kolkata rape case?

Local media reported that the police arrested suspect Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who would visit the hospital often. He has unrestricted access to the ward and the police found compelling evidence against him.

The parents of the victim told the court that they suspect that it was a case of gang rape, local media reported.

Why is sexual violence on the rise in India?

Sexual violence is rampant in India, where 90 rapes were reported on average every day in 2022.

Laws against sexual violence were made stricter following a rape case in 2012, when a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern was brutally gang-raped and murdered on a bus in Delhi. Four men were hanged for the gang rape, which had triggered a nationwide protests.

But despite new laws in place, “the graph of sexual violence in India continues to spiral unabated,” said Grover.

She added that in her experience at most workplaces, scant attention is paid to diligent and rigorous enforcement of the laws.

“It is regrettable that government and institutions respond only after the woman has already suffered sexual assault and often succumbed to death in the incident,” she added, saying preventive measures are not taken.

In many rape cases in India, perpetrators have not been held accountable. In 2002, Bano was raped by 11 men, who were sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2022, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorised the release of the men, who were greeted with applause and garlands upon their release.

However, their remission was overruled and the Supreme Court sent the rapists back to jail after public outcry.

Grover believes that the death penalty will not deter rapists until India addresses the deeply entrenched problem of sexual violence. “For any change, India as a society will have to confront and challenge, patriarchy, discrimination and inequality that is embedded in our homes, families, cultural practices, social norms and religious traditions”.

What makes this case particularly prominent is that it happened in Kolkata, Sandip Roy, a freelance contributor to NPR, told Al Jazeera. “Kolkata actually prided itself for a long time on being really low in the case of violence against women and being relatively safe for women.”

A National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report said that Kolkata had the lowest number of rape cases in 2021 among 19 metropolitan cities, with 11 cases in the whole year. In comparison, New Delhi was reported to have recorded 1, 226 cases that year.

Prime Minister Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for dismissing the government in West Bengal, where Kolkata is located, led by Mamata Banerjee of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). Banerjee’s party is part of the opposition alliance.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in parliament, also called for justice for the victim.

“The attempt to save the accused instead of providing justice to the victim raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration,” he posted on X on Wednesday.

Roy spoke about the politicisation of the case since an opposition party governs West Bengal. “The local government’s opposition will try to make this an issue of women’s safety in the state,” he said.

Have doctors in India protested before?

Roy explained to Al Jazeera that this case is an overlap of two kinds of violence, the violence against a woman, as well as violence against “an overworked medical professional”.

Doctors in India do not have sufficient workplace security, and attacks on doctors have started protests in India before.

In 2019, two junior doctors were physically assaulted in Kolkata’s Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRSMCH) by a mob of people after a 75-year-old patient passed away in the hospital.

Those attacks set off doctors’ protests in Kolkata, and senior doctors in West Bengal offered to resign from their positions to express solidarity with the junior doctors who were attacked.

More than 75 percent of Indian doctors have faced some form of violence, according to a survey by the Indian Medical Association in 2015.

What happens next?

The case will now be handled by the CBI, which sent a team to the hospital premises to inspect the crime scene on Wednesday morning, local media reported.

According to Indian law, the investigation into a case of rape or gang rape is to be completed within two months from the date of lodging of the First Information Report (police complaint), according to Grover, the lawyer.

The highest court in West Bengal, which transferred the case from the local police to the CBI on Tuesday, has directed the central investigating agency to file periodic status reports regarding the progress of the investigation.

The FIR was filed on August 9, which means the investigation is expected to be completed by October 9.

Bengal women will create history with a night long protest in various major locations in the state for at 11.55pm on 14th of August’24,the night that’ll mark our 78th year as an independent country. The campaign, 'Women, Reclaim the Night: The Night is Ours', is aimed at seeking… pic.twitter.com/Si9fd6YGNb — purpleready (@epicnephrin_e) August 13, 2024

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• Profit Magazine
• Paperazzi Magazine

Urgent need for first aid awareness

Ignoring the warning signs, reforming police practices, education at the political helm,  variety in poetry , plantation of 25m trees on cards to raise lahore’s tree cover…, the tarar saga, lahore pha on course for digitising revenue generation: dg, us claims iran involvement in cyber-attacks at trump, harris campaign, biden’s remarks give israel ‘green light’ to continue war, says hamas, hezbollah fire ‘intense rocket’ in israel, king charles visits southport amid uk riots aftermath, ‘our army ready to enter gaza’: algerian president vows swift action, foolproof security in place as pindi gears up for pak-bangladesh cricket…, pcb shifts pak vs ban match to rawalpindi due to national…, babar azam’s batting position changed ahead of first bangladesh test: report, sindh cm rewards olympic champion arshad nadeem with rs50m, babar azam maintains no.1 odi ranking despite rohit sharma’s rise, report exposes bias in indian media’s coverage of iiojk.

ISLAMABAD : A recent report by Kashmir Media Service has criticized the Indian media for displaying blatant partisanship and bias, particularly in its coverage of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The report, released today, accuses the media of being a mouthpiece for the RSS/BJP and spreading fabricated stories that misrepresent the Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom.

Since August 2019, the coverage of IIOJK by Indian outlets has significantly aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), promoting falsehoods about the conditions in the occupied territory.

The report also highlights a consistent distortion of ground realities in Kashmir, with Indian media accused of using fake news to shift international focus away from the human rights abuses committed by Indian troops.

Furthermore, the report condemns Indian media for its role in disseminating misinformation and supporting the Modi regime’s authoritarian policies in Kashmir.

It asserts that Indian journalists and TV anchors have tailored their narratives to align with government propaganda, contributing to a severe breach of journalistic integrity.

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