'Fake Anti-India' Content: Govt Orders Blocking Of 35 Pak-Origin YT Channels, Social Media Accounts

Last year, 20 YouTube channels and two websites were blocked for spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news.

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New Delhi: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Friday informed that it issued directions for blocking 35 YouTube channels, two Twitter accounts, two Instagram Accounts, two websites, and a Facebook account for spreading fake and divisive content against India.

Addressing a press conference, Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary (P&A), I-B Ministry said: “Yesterday on January 20, based on fresh intelligence inputs which the Ministry received, we have issued directions for blocking 35 YouTube channels, 2 Twitter accounts, 2 Instagram Accounts, 2 websites, and a Facebook account”.

“The common factor amongst all these accounts have been that they operate from Pakistan and spread fake anti-India news & other content,” he added, as quoted by ANI.

Apurva Chandra, Secretary, I&B Ministry, said that they are YouTube channels with a 1.20 crore subscriber base, 130 crore views. “Now since this process has started, I am sure that more and more such channels will get blocked. Our Intelligence agencies are at work. We’ll look forward to your support too,” he added.

This comes after Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday warned that the Union government will continue to take action against those “hatching conspiracy” against the country.

Last year, 20 YouTube channels and two websites were blocked for spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news.

“I had ordered for action against them,” Anurag Thakur said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

“I am happy that many big countries across the world took cognisance of it. YouTube also came forward and took action to block them,” the Union Minister told reporters.

“And in future also, action will be taken to block any such account hatching conspiracy against India, spreading lies and dividing the society,” he asserted.

20 YouTube Channels, Two Websites Blocked In December 2021

In a “closely coordinated” effort with intelligence agencies, the I&B ministry had in December last year ordered the blocking of 20 YouTube channels and two websites as they were spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news.

In a statement in December, the ministry had informed that these 20 YouTube channels and the websites belonged to “a coordinated disinformation network” operating from Pakistan and spreading fake news about various sensitive subjects related to India.

The channels were used to post “divisive content in a coordinated manner on topics like Kashmir, Indian army, minority communities in India, Ram Mandir, General Bipin Rawat, etc”, the I&B ministry had stated.

(With Agency Inputs)