Centre asks ministries to set up QRTs to tackle online misinformation

MUMBAI: When misinformation moves at scroll speed, the government wants its facts to keep pace. The Centre has directed ministries and government departments to establish Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to monitor social media, verify misleading claims and issue official responses, according to media reports.

The teams are expected to keep a real-time watch on digital platforms and respond to fake, misleading or misinformation-driven content within two hours of it emerging. While some ministries have already formed their QRTs, others are still in the process of setting them up.

The idea is to make government communication quicker and, importantly, better suited to the platform where misinformation appears. Ministries have reportedly been asked to work with relevant fact-checking and information units to establish the accuracy of claims before responding.

A misleading video on Instagram or YouTube, for instance, may need more than a text statement to cut through. The government is therefore encouraging departments to use short-form videos, memes, graphics and posters when appropriate, rather than relying solely on conventional written responses.

The move comes as social media and short-video platforms make misinformation increasingly difficult to contain once it starts circulating. By putting individual ministries in charge of monitoring content related to their respective areas, the Centre is looking to create a more decentralised and rapid-response system.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is also reportedly helping departments establish and train their QRTs through workshops and sessions with experts.

The approach effectively turns the government’s response to misinformation into a race against the clock: spot it, check it and counter it within two hours. The bigger test, however, will be whether official responses can match not just the speed, but also the reach and format of the misinformation they are trying to replace.