Govt Blocks 18 Indian, 4 Pakistani YouTube-Based News Channels Over Misinformation

The government on Tuesday blocked 22 YouTube channels for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.

Representative image

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday blocked 22 YouTube channels for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order. The blocked YouTube channels included four Pakistan-based news channels and 18 Indian news channels. According to media reports, 18 Indian YouTube news channels have been blocked for the first time under IT Rules, 2021.

The Indian and Pakistani YouTube-based news channels were blocked for allegedly spreading fake news to mislead viewers.

"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," the government said in a statement.

According to news agency ANI, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also blocked three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account and a news website over misinformation. 

With this development, the I&B ministry has, since December 2021, issued directions for blocking 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. The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore, the ministry said in an official statement, adding that they were spreading fake news and coordinated disinformation over social media on subjects sensitive from the perspective of national security, India’s foreign relations, and public order, according to news agency PTI.

This story is being updated.