Govt blocks 18 Indian, 4 Pakistani YouTube channels

New Delhi: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has blocked 22 YouTube channels including 4 being run from Pakistan. The ban came into effect as the channels were spreading disinformation related to India’s national security.

In a note the ministry said while utilising the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021, has issued orders on 04.04.2022 for blocking of twenty-two (22) YouTube based news channels, three (3) Twitter accounts, one (1) Facebook account, and one (1) news website. 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.

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. Through the recent blocking order, eighteen (18) Indian and four (4) Pakistan based YouTube news channels have been blocked.

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 the these Indian YouTube based channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardising India’s foreign relations with other countries.

With this action, 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.