Overview

• The draft Karnataka Misinformation & Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2025 proposes imprisonment of two to seven years and fines up to Rs 10 lakh for individuals, companies, and platforms spreading false content.
• It empowers a six-member Regulatory Authority led by the state Information & Broadcasting Minister with broad powers to block content and adjudicate fake news cases without judicial oversight.
• Experts and digital rights groups have criticized the bill’s vague definitions—banning content “disrespectful to Sanatan symbols” or “anti-feminist” viewpoints—as inviting arbitrary enforcement.
• Legal analysts warn that removing safe harbour protections under the IT Act exposes intermediaries to criminal liability without procedural safeguards, contradicting Supreme Court precedents on free speech.
• Karnataka’s IT Minister Priyank Kharge has committed to public and inter-departmental consultations before finalising the draft, responding to mounting calls for revisions and greater transparency.