Pew Survey on India: Fake News Worry and Media Freedom Gap
Why in the news
A Pew Research Center survey revealed a paradox: many Indians fear misinformation but are less committed to uncensored media and even support more state regulation.
Key figures
| Theme | India result | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Fake news a very big problem | 65% | Top 10 of 35; Bangladesh, South Korea, Chile, Colombia, Thailand also high; lowest in Singapore, Poland, Sweden, Netherlands, Israel |
| Importance of media free from state censorship | 68% | Second-lowest of 35; Greece, Sweden, UK over 90%; under 70% only India and Kenya |
| Media seen as free from state intervention | 80% | Top 10; similar in Sweden, Netherlands, Philippines, Ghana, Australia, Kenya, Thailand; under 40% in Chile and Greece |
Press freedom gap
- Across 33 of 35 countries, people rated media freedom as important more often than they felt it existed.
- India and Kenya showed the reverse: over 80% saw media as free, yet under 70% called freedom important.
Implications
- Indicates normalisation of censorship and weaker public backing for press independence.
- Matches India’s 159th place among 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index 2024.
- India has ranked below 100 since 2003, with a steep fall lately.
Exam angle
- Survey by: Pew Research Center, 35 countries.
- Index: World Press Freedom Index 2024, India 159th of 180.
- Publisher of index: Reporters Without Borders.