New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed the blocking of 22 YouTube-based news channels, of which four are from Pakistan, alleging that they were spreading fake news that could impact national security, foreign relations and public order.
This is the first time that action has been taken against the Indian YouTube-based news publishers since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021 in February last year, it said.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur asserted that the government will not shy away from taking such action in the future as well.
In an official statement, the ministry said it issued an order on Monday to block 22 YouTube channels, three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account and one news website.
With this action, the ministry has, since December 2021, issued directions for blocking 78 YouTube-based news channels and several other social media accounts on grounds related to national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, etc.
“Out of the 22 YouTube channels which were blocked, 18 are from India and four from Pakistan.
“The total views were 262 crores. They were involved in the misinformation against India which could impact the sovereignty and integrity of the country and also the national security and India’s relations with other nations,” the Information and Broadcasting minister said.
“They were spreading misinformation on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, on the COVID-19 news and other such issues which were directly impacting India. As I promised earlier as well, whether the channels are operating from foreign soil or from India, we’ll take action. We won’t shy away from taking such a decision in the future as well in the interest of India,” Thakur said.
The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore, the ministry earlier said, adding that they were spreading fake news and coordinated disinformation over social media, on subjects sensitive from the perspective of national security, India’s foreign relations, and public order.
According to the ministry, multiple YouTube channels were used to post “fake news on various subjects such as the Indian Armed Forces, Jammu and Kashmir, etc.”
“The content ordered to be blocked also included certain anti-India content posted from multiple social media accounts operated in a coordinated manner from Pakistan.
“It was observed that a significant amount of false content was published by the Indian YouTube channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardising India’s foreign relations with other countries, it said.
The ministry said that the blocked Indian YouTube channels were using templates and logos of certain TV news channels, including images of their news anchors to mislead viewers to believe that the news was authentic.
“False thumbnails were used, title and thumbnail of the videos were frequently altered to increase the virality of content on social media. In certain cases, it was also observed that systematic anti-India fake news was originating from Pakistan,” it said.
“The Government of India remains committed towards ensuring an authentic, trustworthy, and safe online news media environment, and thwarting any attempts at undermining India’s sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order,” the ministry said.
