Data Bytes

As Indians increasingly encounter information online, verifying it is becoming increasingly challenging. Younger Indians are more likely to have the skills needed, but across all ages, these abilities are in short supply.

In 2023, the National Statistics Office's Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) asked respondents who could use a smartphone or computer about their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills, including their ability to carry out different tasks to verify information they come across online. These included checking whether they knew how to verify whether information circulated on social media was authentic, the ability to determine when content was published and the ability to establish the authenticity of a web address.

These skills were most common among people in their 20s. Even in this age group, however, only about three in ten men and two in ten women who could use a smartphone or computer were able to demonstrate these skills. The share falls sharply with age, with women consistently less likely than men to have these skills. Across the population, only one in five Indians who can use a smartphone or computer were able to verify online information.

The ability to verify information is increasingly important as more people get news, information and services online. Limited digital skills can make people more vulnerable to online fraud and scams, and misinformation. Older people and women are less likely to have the skills to identify false or misleading information, making them particularly vulnerable.

Read more about the ability of Indians to perform basic ICT skills.