I&B ministry blocks YouTube news channels operating from Pakistan
Premium- The YouTube accounts blocked by the ministry had a total subscriber base of over 1 crore 20 lakh, and their videos had over 130 crore views.
New Delhi: The ministry of information and broadcasting has ordered blocking of 35 news channels on YouTube, found to be operating from Pakistan and two websites involved in spreading misinformation against the country, said top ministry officials at a press conference held in New Delhi on Friday.
The YouTube accounts blocked by the ministry had a total subscriber base of over 1 crore 20 lakh, and their videos had over 130 crore views.
Additionally, two Twitter accounts, two Instagram accounts, and one Facebook account have also been blocked by the government for being involved in spreading coordinated anti-India misinformation over the Internet, the officials said.
The ministry has issued five separate orders under rule 16 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and used its emergency powers to order blocking these Pakistan-based social media accounts and websites.
The 35 accounts blocked include the Apni Duniya Network that operated 14 YouTube channels, and Talha Films Network operating 13 YouTube channels. A set of four channels, and a set of another two, were also found to be running in synchronization with each other, a statement from the ministry said.
“All these networks appeared to be operated with a single goal of spreading fake news oriented towards the Indian audience. The channels which were part of a network used common hashtags and editing styles, were being operated by common persons, and cross promoted each other’s content. Some of the YouTube channels were being operated by anchors of Pakistani TV news channels," the statement said.
Indian intelligence agencies were closely monitoring these social media accounts and websites, and flagged them to the ministry for immediate action, Apurva Chandra, secretary, information and broadcasting ministry said.
The move comes close on the heels of blocking of 20 YouTube channels and two websites last month when emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021 were first utilized to act against such anti-India fake news networks.
Calling the content toxic and baseless, Apurva Chandra said this was a war of misinformation against the country. “The point is now our intelligence agencies are alive to this issue. Now that the process has started, more such channels will get blocked," he said at the press briefing.
He said not just the Intelligence agencies but even citizens can bring such fake news content to light for the ministry to take action.
He added that intermediaries like YouTube have been receptive to complaints, blocking such channels globally. However, he said the intermediaries should strengthen their own systems to flag and block such misleading content themselves.
Chandra said only news channels come under the purview of MIB, individual Twitter or Facebook accounts spreading misinformation, on the other hand, are dealt with by ministry of electronics and information technology.
The YouTube channels, websites, and other social media accounts blocked by the ministry were used by Pakistan for spreading misinformation about sensitive subjects related to India, including the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s relations with other countries.
“It was observed that fake news was spread through the YouTube channels regarding the demise of former Chief of Defence Staff, Late General Bipin Rawat. These YouTube channels had also started posting content to undermine the democratic process of the upcoming elections in five states," the statement said.
The exercise of emergency powers by the ministry requires the issue to be ratified by an inter-ministerial committee, which is expected to meet to consider the same early next week.
Vikram Sahay, joint secretary, MIB, said the committee consists of senior representatives from ministries of external affairs, defence, electronics and information technology, women and child development, besides non-official members or domain experts from Ficci (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), Bar Council of India and Press Council of India. “They will give their recommendations for the consideration of the I&B secretary," Sahay said.
“The channels propagated content to encourage separatism, divide India on lines of religion, and create animosity among various sections of the Indian society," the statement added.
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