The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has blocked eight YouTube-based news channels, one Facebook account, and two Facebook posts under the IT rules 2021 for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations and public order. 

“The content blocked by the ministry was found to be detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, India’s friendly relations with foreign States, and public order in the country. Accordingly, the content was covered within the ambit of section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000,” the ministry said in a statement.

Additionally, the blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 114 Cr, were subscribed by over 85 Lakh users, the ministry informed.

As stated by the ministry, the purpose of the content published by some of these YouTube channels was to spread hatred among religious communities in India. False claims were made in various videos of the blocked YouTube channels, the ministry added. 

“Examples include fake news such as the Government of India to have ordered demolition of religious structures; Government of India to have banned celebration of religious festivals, declaration of religious war in India, etc. Such content was found to have the potential to create communal disharmony and disturb public order in the country,” it said.

The eight channels that have been abolished are Loktantra TV, U&V TV, AM Razvi, Gouravshali Pawan Mithilanchal, SeeTop5TH, Sarkari Update, Sab Kuch Dekho, and Pakistan-based News ki Dunya.

All the YouTube channels blocked by the ministry were displaying advertisements on their videos having false content detrimental to communal harmony, public order and India’s foreign relations, the statement added.

Add to that, the blocked channels were displaying advertisements on their videos that consisted of false content detrimental to communal harmony, public order and India’s foreign relations.

With this, the ministry has banned a total of 102 YouTube news channels and various social media accounts since December 2021. 

By doing so, the Centre remains committed to ensuring an authentic and trustworthy online news media environment. It also thwarts any attempts at undermining the country’s sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order, as per its statement.

In July, in a Parliament meeting, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Centre blocked 94 YouTube channels and 19 social media accounts since 2021 for posting fake news and content threatening the integrity and sovereignty of the nation. 

The minister also informed that a total of 747 websites have been taken down since 2021 for spreading wrong information about the Centre and other sensitive matters. It was further informed that MIB’s fact check unit (FCU) responded to 34,125 actionable queries on various social media platforms up to July this year.