New Delhi: In the latest move to stop fake news in India, the Information and Broading Ministry (I&B) banned 16 YouTube Channels. These channels are said to be ‘spreading false information over social media on matters related to national security, India’s foreign relations, communal harmony in the country, and public order.
Among the blocked channels, six are Pakistan based, ten are Indian. The cumulative viewership of these is over 68 crore, informed the government.
. @MIB_India blocks 16 YouTube news channels (under IT Rules, 2021) for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations and public order
These channels were spreading false and unverified information.@ianuragthakur @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/e6TcVNwRSM
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) April 25, 2022
Notably, the government also banned a Facebook account namely Tahaffuz E Deen Media Services INDIA.
Earlier this month, the government also banned 22 YouTube channels for ‘spreading disinformation related to India’s national security’.
”Multiple India-based YouTube channels were observed to publish unverified news and videos having the potential to create panic among various sections of the society. Examples include false claims related to the announcement of a pan-India lockdown due to COVID-19 thereby threatening the migrant workers, and fabricated claims alleging threats to certain religious communities, etc. Such content was observed to be detrimental to public order in the country,” read the government’s release.
On the channels based in Pakistan, the government said, ”ouTube channels based in Pakistan were found to have been used in a coordinated manner to post fake news about India on various subjects such as the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations in the light of situation in Ukraine, etc. The content of these channels was observed to be completely false, and sensitive from the perspective of national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, and India’s friendly relations with foreign States.”
List of banned YouTube channels of India:
1. Saini Education Research
2. Hindi Mein Dekho
3. Technical Yogendra
4. Aaj te news
5. SBB News
6. Defence News24*7
7. The study time
8. Latest Update
9. MRF TV LIVE
10. Tahaffuz E-Deen India
List of banned YouTube channels based in Pakistan:
1. AjTak Pakistan
2. Discover Point
3. Reality Checks
4. Kaiser Khan
5. The Vocie of Asia
6. Bol Media Bol
