Verify before airing: NBDSA issues new guidelines for social media content, fines Zee News Rs 1 lakh

The new guidelines mandate that all information, images and videos gathered from social media must be verified before broadcast.

Broadcasters are required to corroborate such content through on-ground reporting or other reliable sources, such as eyewitness testimonies and official government accounts.

Addressing the growing concern of manipulated media, the NBDSA stated that the authenticity of images and videos should be checked for distortion or AI generation “[a]s far as feasible.” Content must not be presented out of context, as even authentic visuals “may lead to misinformation” if framed incorrectly, as per the directive.

The guidelines also stipulate that social media content related to sensitive issues – such as military operations, communal violence, armed conflict and public disorder – “should be tested on the touchstone of public interest and accuracy”. The NBDSA has also cautioned that merely adding a disclaimer stating the content is viral on social media and unverified does not absolve a broadcaster of their responsibility under the NBDSA’s Code of Ethics.

The NBDA’s Code of Ethics mandates that broadcasters ensure impartiality, neutrality and accuracy in their reporting.

These directions were issued in response to a Zee News broadcast from March 3, 2025 which claimed a truck driver offering namaz on a highway had caused a traffic jam and landslide. The channel later admitted the video was fake and deleted it. While the NBDSA acknowledged the deletion, it imposed the fine citing the “clear lapse” in verification and the violation of the accuracy principle in the NBDSA’s code of ethics.