ICFJ Voices: Bharat Nayak on Investigating Disinformation in India

By: Taylor Dibbert |09/26/2024

Bharat Nayak is an Indian journalist. He also works as a researcher and fact-checker. Nayak covers disinformation, political polarization, hate speech and climate change.

His participation in an ICFJ program "resulted in significant outcomes for both my reporting and broader community awareness," he said.

This interview has been edited.

How have you been involved with ICFJ over the years?

In April 2023, I was selected for the ICFJ program titled "Stemming the Tide of Intolerance: A Network of South Asian Journalists to Promote Religious Freedom." Since then, I have been part of a cohort that includes journalists and influencers from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The program featured an eight-week online course that allowed me to refresh my foundational journalism skills and learn advanced reporting techniques, to better report on the rise of religious hatred against minorities in South Asian countries.

The course provided insightful knowledge about the different laws and constitutional provisions designed to protect minorities in these three countries, expanding my understanding particularly about Sri Lanka and Pakistan. I gained a deeper awareness of the minority communities, their living conditions and historical contexts.

The five-day offline workshops, where I interacted with journalists from Pakistan and Sri Lanka, offered a fresh perspective on the political situations in those countries. The workshops included valuable training on pitching stories, leveraging social media for story dissemination, and running a successful media start-up. As an intrapreneur who established an editorial and fact-checking team, I benefited greatly from learning about strategies and tools to enhance fact-checking efficiency and investigative capabilities. The training on identifying misinformation, creating knowledge repositories, and analyzing information was particularly valuable.

What was the biggest outcome from participating in the program?

Participating in the program resulted in significant outcomes for both my reporting and broader community awareness. One of the most impactful achievements was the opportunity to investigate and report on the rise in disinformation targeting Muslims.

During the fellowship, I produced an in-depth report that highlighted how the surge in disinformation was not just a matter of false narratives but was actively contributing to a rise in mental health challenges among Muslims. The report explored how such disinformation was fueling paranoia and exacerbating mental health issues, providing crucial insights into the broader implications of hate speech and misinformation.

This report was published on prominent platforms, including The Wire, where it received considerable attention for shedding light on this pressing issue. Additionally, the findings were noted by Hindutva Watch and other watchdogs monitoring hate speech in India, which further amplified the reach and impact of the report. The report was also featured by Maktoob Media, and was highlighted by Georgetown University's Bridge Initiative.

This reporting not only brought attention to a critical issue affecting the Muslim community, but also demonstrated the power of journalism in driving social change and advancing discussions on the intersection of disinformation and mental health. The fellowship and the resulting coverage have contributed to a broader understanding of these issues and underscored the importance of addressing misinformation as a significant factor in public health and safety.

What is something impactful you have worked on since participating in an ICFJ program that you are proud of and would want to highlight?

Since participating in the ICFJ program, one of the most impactful projects I've worked on involved collaborating with Professor Kiran Garimella at Rutgers University on a year-long research initiative. Our work focused on analyzing extensive datasets from WhatsApp groups to track disinformation, propaganda and hate speech. This research has been instrumental in understanding the spread of misinformation related to the Israel-Hamas conflict and its use to target Muslims in India.

Our findings uncovered numerous instances of disinformation being circulated to exacerbate religious tensions. This research not only led to the authorship of several forthcoming papers but also resulted in significant reporting and public awareness. My investigative work on how WhatsApp forwards are used to push anti-Muslim narratives in India gained considerable attention.

Although India is not a direct stakeholder in the Israel-Hamas conflict, our investigation uncovered a substantial, orchestrated campaign disseminating extreme hate speech and misinformation. Our analysis revealed a deliberate use of the conflict to propagate anti-Muslim rhetoric on WhatsApp, bolstering pro-Israel and pro-BJP narratives, likely for political advantage in electoral contexts. The misinformation targeted Muslims by aiming to unite Hindus through the portrayal of a threat from the growing Muslim population, suggesting that what Hamas did to Israeli citizens could be done by Muslims in India.

The experience and skills gained through the ICFJ program were crucial in guiding this research. The program's focus on combating religious intolerance and misinformation deepened my understanding of the nuances of religious reporting and fact-checking. It provided the foundational knowledge and motivation needed to tackle complex disinformation issues, particularly those that contribute to rising religious hatred. This work has highlighted the critical need for rigorous fact-checking and informed reporting in addressing the spread of harmful narratives and has been a significant driver of positive change in public discourse.

Why is it so important right now to provide the kind of support to journalists that ICFJ does, especially in South Asia and on mis- and disinformation?

Misinformation has surged over the past decade, with profound consequences for society. Polarization, violence, erosion of democratic processes, and disruptions to law and order are direct outcomes. South Asia is particularly vulnerable due to a critical gap in media literacy. Despite rapid internet growth, media literacy remains stagnant, hindering informed decision-making.

To counter this, journalists need encouragement and upskilling so that they must proactively address misinformation through pre-bunking and debunking. Fact-checks should be strategically disseminated to reach communities susceptible to or spreading false information. India's experiences with mob lynchings fueled by child kidnapping rumors and hate-driven disinformation against Muslims highlight the urgent need for such efforts.

What are you currently working on that you're excited about?

I am currently working on a research paper tracking the recurrence of same hate messages on WhatsApp, with the aim of getting it published in a reputable journal.

What kind of difficulties as a journalist have you faced in India?

As a journalist in India, I have faced significant challenges, including threats to both financial and personal freedom. In the current atmosphere, it's difficult to predict which of your reports might provoke backlash from the right wing or the ruling government, potentially leading to job loss or diminished opportunities.

Even when one chooses to stand against wrongdoing, legal protections are minimal, often resulting in financial strain due to legal fees and battles against powerful adversaries. For example, at my previous organization, I was instructed not to fact-check politicians from a particular party, which ultimately led to my resignation. Additionally, disinformation in India is frequently used to target journalists by both state and non-state actors, threatening press freedom and leading to self-censorship among journalists.