Bengaluru, 06th November, 2025: Ikigai Law, in collaboration with the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, is organising a Policy Dialogue “Truth, Trust & Technology: A Policy Dialogue on Online Speech Regulation” on November 7, 2025, in Central Bengaluru. The event will feature Shri Priyank Kharge, Cabinet Minister, Government of Karnataka (IT/BT; RDPR), as the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker.

A recent World Economic Forum survey ranked India among the countries most vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation. The challenge became evident during the recent India–Pakistan conflict, when social media and news platforms were flooded with false content.

Several states across India are also exploring new regulatory frameworks to tackle this. Karnataka is reportedly drafting laws to legislate misinformation, fake news, and hate speech. The event provides a timely platform for lawmakers, academics, policy experts, journalists, and legal experts to explore how the state can design balanced, practical, and constitutionally sound regulatory approaches while safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

The Dialogue aims to develop a set of recommendations grounded in legal analysis, policy expertise, and practical insights. It will feature two panel discussions covering different themes of online speech regulation.

Panel I – Regulating Speech in Karnataka: A Constitutional Tug of War

This session will examine the constitutional boundaries of state-level speech regulations addressing online harms and their interplay with national laws. The speakers include  Alok Prasanna Kumar (Co-founder, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy), Jayna Kothari (Senior Advocate), Malavika Prasad (Lead Counsel, Sadananda & Prasad),  Manu Kulkarni ( Partner, Poovayya & Co.), and Professor Sudhir Krishnaswamy (Vice Chancellor, NLSIU.

Panel II - Tackling Misinformation in Practice: Risks, Responsibilities, and Alternatives

This discussion will focus on the practical realities of addressing misinformation, the impact on the information ecosystem, and explore non-legislative pathways. The speakers include Aiyshwarya Mahadev (Chairperson of Karnataka Congress Social Media Department), Dhanya Rajendran (Co-Founder, The News Minute),  Rajneil  Kamath (Vice President, Trusted Information Alliance),  Siddharth Narrain (Assistant Professor of Law, NLSIU), and Surabhi Hodigere ( Spokesperson for BJP, Karnataka)

“This dialogue is an important step toward shaping thoughtful policy on online speech regulation. As governments consider new frameworks to counter misinformation and hate speech, it’s crucial to build approaches that are constitutionally anchored, collaborative, and forward-looking. We hope the discussions will generate ideas that help Karnataka strike the right balance between protecting citizens and preserving open expression,” adds Nehaa Chaudhari, Partner, Ikigai Law. 

The Policy Dialogue will be held on November 7, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM, beginning with a keynote address by Shri Priyank Kharge, followed by two panel discussions and closing remarks.

Note for the Editor

Around the world, governments are grappling with the challenges of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and hate speech. Germany’s Network Enforcement Act mandates the swift takedown of unlawful posts, Russia mandates the deletion of false information within a day of notice and Singapore and the European Union have adopted similar regulatory frameworks. In India too, states such as Uttar Pradesh have introduced strict online content regulation measures. Similarly, Andhra Pradesh is also contemplating regulations to curb misinformation and hate speech.

With India ranked among the countries most vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation, and the internet reaching millions of new users every year, the need for responsible and constitutionally sound approaches to online speech has never been more urgent. This Policy Dialogue provides a timely platform to have a meaningful discussion on how India can counter misinformation while safeguarding the principles of free expression.