The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered the removal of 22 YouTube-based news channels, four of which are from Pakistan, for allegedly spreading false information to deceive viewers. It is the first time since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021 in February last year that action has been taken against Indian YouTube-based news publishers.
The ministry issued an order on Monday to restrict 22 YouTube channels, three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account, and one news website, according to an official statement.
With this decision, the ministry has issued directives to block 78 YouTube-based news stations and numerous other social media accounts on national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, and other grounds since December 2021.
According to the ministry, the blocked YouTube channels had a combined audience of over 260 crore people, and they were propagating fake news and organised disinformation on social media about topics that were sensitive in terms of national security, India’s foreign relations, and public order.
“18 Indian and four Pakistani YouTube news channels have been blocked as a result of the latest banning order,” the ministry said, without naming them.
Multiple YouTube channels were used to post “false news on various issues such as the Indian Armed Forces, Jammu and Kashmir, and so on,” according to the ministry.
Certain anti-India content posted from various social media accounts run in a coordinated manner from Pakistan was also ordered to be blocked.
“It was observed that a significant amount of false content was published by the Indian YouTube channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardising India’s foreign relations with other countries,” it said.
The ministry said that the blocked Indian YouTube channels were using templates and logos of certain TV news channels, including images of their news anchors to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic.
“False thumbnails were used, title and thumbnail of the videos were frequently altered to increase the virality of content on social media. In certain cases, it was also observed that systematic anti-India fake news was originating from Pakistan,” it said.
“The Government of India remains committed towards ensuring an authentic, trustworthy, and safe online news media environment, and thwarting any attempts at undermining India’s sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order,” the ministry said.