The political atmosphere in the country has remained edgy in the last few years. Numerous people have been arrested in the past for posting comments critical of the ruling government. News reports of arrests for insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi have popped up with an alarming regularity.

The arrests include students, teachers, businessmen, auto-rickshaw drivers, activists and members of police and paramilitary forces. Living in such environment has made many livid, outraging over lack of freedom of expression, especially in terms of political views.

As many as 55 per cent of surveyed English internet users stated that they are scared of expressing political opinions online, according to a survey by Reuters released Monday. They said that they are concerned that open political expression on social media could land them into trouble with the authorities.

Getty Images

Out of English-speakers in India, 41 per cent respondents who claimed to support the BJP said that they trust “most news most of the time”.

Thirty-six per cent of UPA supporters (including former UPA) and 26 per cent of non-partisans trust news most of the time, according to India Digital News Report, published by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

The report is “based on data from a survey of English-speaking, online news users in India”.

The issues of fake news, misinformation and online political manipulation are of grave concern in both India and the US, Americans and English-speaking Indians vastly differ on who should be held responsible.

Roughly 57 per cent of English-speaking Indians are concerned with deciphering what is real and what is fake on the internet. Additionally, 64 per cent Indians believed that the government should solve the misinformation problem. Approximately, 70 per cent Indians placed the onus on publishers and platforms.

AFP

Close to 45 per cent of respondents said they are concerned, “when facts are spun or twisted to push a particular agenda,” and with “poor journalism.”

A report in Indian Express stated that at least seven state government school teachers have been suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government for questioning Pulwama terror attack to praising Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and criticising the effectiveness of Balakot airstrike by India. Lately, India is increasingly jailing its young citizens for posting content online that “offends” politicians.

In 2017 and 2018, at least 50 people were arrested across India for social media posts, according to a report by Mint.