<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur today said good things and gains which have been reared from democratization of digital public spaces must not be allowed to be eroded by disinformation.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Addressing the valedictory function for IIS Group 'A' officer trainees at IIMC in New Delhi  Mr. Thakur warned about the menace of infodemic.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The Union Minister said democratization of public spaces has allowed bottom-up participation in popular debate and discourse but at the same time, it has also given rise to a plethora of malicious and weaponized disinformation.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Recounting the challenges the minister said ill-informed weakens the nation, tarnishes its institutions, and weakens trust in the elected Government.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">The Minister urged the trainee officers to strategically counter the disinformation and be equipped with cutting-edge tools, trends, and techniques to effectively engage target audiences with sufficiently attractive information.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Mr. Thakur also gave the Five Communication ( 5Cs) mantra which includes Citizen-Centric Communication, and participatory communication for target audiences. He said the 5Cs will guide communication needs for India@2047.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">On the occasion, the Minister congratulated the 52 Officers batches on joining the Indian Information Service (IIS).</span></p>