I&B Ministry blocks 22 YouTube channels for spreading misinformation about India
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on April 4 blocked 22 YouTube channels for spreading misinformation about India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.
Of the 22 YouTube channels that were blocked, 18 were Indian — which includes ARP News, SarkariBabu, News23 Hindi, KisanTak, Bharat Mausam, Exam Report — and four were Pakistan-based channels, namely, DuniyaMeryAagy, Ghulam NabiMadni, Haqeeqat TV, Haqeeqat TV 2.0.
“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,” a statement released by the I&B Ministry read.
The statement mentioned that this is the first time the Government of India has blocked Indian YouTube news channels utilising the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021.
It stated: “This is the first time action has been taken on the Indian YouTube-based news publishers since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021 in February last year.
