I&B Ministry Blocks 22 Youtube Channels For Spreading Disinformation

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Tuesday, stated that it has blocked 22 YouTube channels, three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account, and one news website for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.

The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore and were used to spread fake news, and coordinated disinformation over social media on subjects sensitive from the perspective of national security, India’s foreign relations, and public order.

Among the 22 YouTube channels, eighteen (18) Indian and four (4) Pakistan-based YouTube news channels have been blocked. This is the first time action has been taken against Indian YouTube-based news publishers since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021 in February last year.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 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 published by these Indian YouTube based channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardizing India’s foreign relations with other countries,” read the statement.

Since December 2021, the Ministry has issued directions for blocking of 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.

The statement read, “The Government of India remains committed towards ensuring an authentic, trustworthy, and safe online news media environment, and thwart any attempts at undermining India’s sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order.”