The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has got blocked 16 YouTube news channels, including six from Pakistan, on charges of spreading false and unverified information to create panic, incite communal disharmony and disturb public order in the country.
The action has been taken using emergency powers under the IT Rules. These channels had a cumulative viewership of over 68 crore. A Facebook account has also been blocked.
“It was observed that these channels were used to spread fake news over social media on matters related to national security, India’s foreign relations, communal harmony in the country, and public order. None of the digital news publishers had furnished information to the Ministry as required under Rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021,” the Ministry said.
Inciting hatred
As alleged, the content published by some of the India-based YouTube channels referred to a community as terrorists, and incited hatred among the members of various religious communities.
“Such content was found to have the potential to create communal disharmony, and disturb public order,” it stated, adding that multiple India-based YouTube channels published unverified news and videos that had the potential of creating panic among various sections of society.
The Ministry said, “Examples include false claims related to 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.”
Fake news about India
The Pakistan-based channels, in a coordinated manner, posted fake news about India on subjects such as the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations in the light of the situation in Ukraine. “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,” the Ministry said.
On April 23, the Ministry advised the private TV news channels against making false claims and using scandalous headlines. It had blocked 78 YouTube news channels, including 18 from India, on various charges. Among them were 22 channels with a total viewership of about 262 crore, which were banned earlier this month.
