The Delhi Police said thousands of fake posts, manipulated videos and misleading content were circulated on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube platforms during the CJP protests, spreading misinformation and vitiating the atmosphere.
The Delhi Police on Tuesday issued notices to four major social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube – directing them to remove false and misleading posts, and deepfake videos related to the violence during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests in the national capital.
According to police, thousands of fake posts, manipulated videos and misleading content were circulated on these platforms during the protests, spreading misinformation and vitiating the atmosphere. Officials said several social media-based news portals were also involved in amplifying the content.
The notices were issued by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police, asking the platforms to take down the identified posts and videos. Police said they have been acting on complaints received from various quarters and are investigating multiple instances of misinformation linked to the protests.
The development came days after the CJP called off its 36-day agitation at Jantar Mantar on Saturday (July 25) following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union Education Minister.
The Centre also accepted its key demands of the CJP, including the resignation of Pradhan, withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, an assurance against retaliatory action and a commitment to consider broader examination reforms. The government had also agreed to share a written draft of the understanding after legal consultations.
However, the outfit earlier today warned of resuming its nationwide agitation if the government failed to honour its assurance to withdraw FIRs and prevent punitive action against protesters. The CJP alleged there was a “credible apprehension” that the Supreme Court’s interim order could be used to continue cases against individual students.