Digital Echoes and Legal Shackles: How Online Misinformation Fuels Anti-Conversion Laws in India and Challenges Global Religious Freedom

This research paper explores the significant influence of digital misinformation and online radicalisation on the perception of forced religious conversions, particularly in India, and its impact on the enactment of stringent anti-conversion laws. The paper examines the interplay between online platforms and public perception in disseminating misinformation, which is further amplified by AI-based tools. This digital environment can manipulate perceptions, fuel social tensions, and create a gap between perceived threats and actual data, ultimately affecting public sentiment and legislative action not only in India but also globally. The research also delves into the historical context of anti-conversion laws in India, tracing their roots from the colonial era through the drafting of the Constitution to the present day, where twelve states have enacted such laws. The paper contrasts the constitutional right to propagate religion with state anxieties about religious identity and control over religious conversion, referencing key Supreme Court cases like Rev. Stainislaus v. State of Madhya Pradesh. Furthermore, it analyses how disinformation spreads through social media using multimodal formats and anti-establishment signals, exploiting user-driven distribution to undermine verified information. Ultimately, the paper aims to bridge the divide between perceived threats and empirical evidence by analysing India's anti-conversion laws in relation to international norms, including Article 18 of the UDHR and the ICCPR, which increasingly contradict these national laws.