Tamil Nadu government renames fact check unit, creates Information Integrity Desk
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government has reorganised the Tamil Nadu Fact Check Unit by renaming it the Information Integrity Desk (IID) and restructuring its operations into three separate divisions.
Guru, widely known as Guru Thalaiva and founder of the Online Thalapathy Fans Club, has been appointed to lead the IID. Prasanna, previously associated with the TVK IT wing, will serve as the project’s lead.
According to government sources, Guru is employed in the private sector and does not have prior professional experience in tackling misinformation or disinformation. However, he has reportedly been associated with Vijay’s Makkal Mandram activities for around 15 years and was part of the party’s social media team.
Sujitha has been appointed as Public Relations Officer to coordinate with district and departmental PROs in disseminating official government information. Meanwhile, TVK IT wing coordinator Dhivya has taken charge as Special Officer of the newly created Social Media Desk under the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
Officials said the Information Integrity Desk will continue to verify questionable content circulating online, coordinate with government departments, publish fact-checks supported by evidence and respond swiftly to misinformation capable of causing public confusion or panic.
The restructuring is intended to meet present-day communication needs, with a designated nodal officer expected to facilitate coordination between the IID and various government departments.
In addition to the IID, the DIPR has launched a dedicated Social Media Desk to oversee official digital communication. As Special Officer, Dhivya will review and clear government content before it is published on official social media platforms.
The original Tamil Nadu Fact Check Unit was established by the previous DMK government on October 6, 2023. It was led by Iyan Karthikeyan, former Editor-in-Chief of YouTurn.in, as Mission Director. Besides verifying misinformation, the unit also monitored online hate speech and initiated action in several such cases during the previous administration.