India, Sept. 10 -- A parliamentary standing committee has pressed the government to come up with a clear legal definition of 'fake news,' arguing that the absence of a uniform definition makes the term vague and open to misuse.

In a draft report reviewed by HT, the committee said that while stakeholders such as the Editors Guild of India, the News Broadcasters and Digital Association, and leading media houses, including HT, differed on how the term should be framed, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) should evolve a "subtle but clear" definition that balances the need to curb misinformation with the protection of free speech.

The draft report, yet to be tabled, also recommends giving statutory powers to the Fact Check Un...