Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta resigns as President of Misinformation Combat Alliance

New Delhi: Bharat Gupta, CEO of Jagran New Media, has officially announced his resignation as President of the Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), a role he has held since the organisation's inception in January 2022. 

Gupta was instrumental in shaping MCA into a strong coalition, bringing together 12 fact-checking organisations, three media companies, and a civic tech organisation, all united by the common goal of combating misinformation.

Reflecting on his tenure, Gupta said, “After almost three years of joint effort to protect our community from the deadly spread of misinformation and disinformation, I believe it is time for new leadership to guide the organisation. I am deeply grateful for the continuous support of my fellow MCA members and the dedication of our fact-checkers. Together, we have made significant progress in combating the misinformation epidemic. Additionally, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the International Fact-Checking Network Advisory Board for the four-year opportunity to represent India on the global stage. It has truly been a privilege to advocate for the importance of accurate information and work with committed professionals from around the world. While I am stepping down from my role as President of the MCA, my responsibility to fight misinformation remains as strong as ever.”

Under Gupta’s leadership, the MCA spearheaded significant initiatives, including a collaboration with Google to fight election-related misinformation and partnering with Meta’s Deepfakes Analysis Unit, which launched a multilingual WhatsApp helpline to provide real-time fact-checking support. 

The Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), founded in 2022, is dedicated to reducing the spread of misinformation through targeted interventions and collaborative efforts with leading media and technology partners.