I&B ministry blocks 18 Indian, 4 Pakistan based YouTube channels for spreading disinformation, fake news

New Delhi, April 05: Taking strict against digital media channels for spreading disinformation related to India, the Indian government has blocked Twenty-two (22) YouTube-based news channels, along with three Twitter accounts and one Facebook account.

 

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting took this action under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. 

 

Among the 22 channels, 18 are Indian YouTube news channels and four are Pakistan-based YouTube news channels. DuniyaMeryAagy, Ghulam NabiMadni, HAQEEQAT TV, and HAQEEQAT TV 2.0 are the name of four Pakistani YouTube news channels. They used logos of TV news channels & false thumbnails to mislead viewers.

 

 

 

Speaking about it, Government said, the blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crores, 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.

 

"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," the Ministry said.

 

This is the first time action has been taken against the Indian YouTube-based news publishers since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021 in February last year.

 

Earlier in January, the Ministry had blocked 35 YouTube-based news channels and two websites that were involved in spreading anti-India propaganda in a coordinated manner over digital media.

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