In the borderless digital world, enemy countries have weaponized information against India. In a coordinated manner, they spread anti-India disinformation on digital networks to harm the country. However, the government in recent times has started to realize this misinformation campaign and its side effects.
Using Section 87 of the Information Technology Act 2000, the Central Government brought Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 to regulate the functioning of digital platforms in India. The rising digital crimes and anti-India misinformation forced the government to adopt standard rules of procedure to regulate digital media.
8 Big YouTube Channels Blocked
Exercising the IT Rules, 2021 the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has blocked eight YouTube-based news channels, one Facebook account, and two Facebook posts. The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 114 crores and a subscriber base of over 85 lakh users.
The blocked 8 YouTube Channels are as follows:-
| YouTube Channel | Views and Subscribers |
| Loktantra Tv | 23,72,27,331 views 12.90 lakh subscribers |
| U&V TV | 14,40,03,291 views 10.20 lakh subscribers |
| AM Razvi | 1,22,78,194 views 95, 900 subscribers |
| Gouravshali Pawan Mithilanchal | 15,99,32,594 views 7 lakh subscribers |
| SeeTop5TH | 24,83,64,997 views 33.50 lakh subscribers |
| Sarkari Update | 70,41,723 views 80,900 subscribers |
| Sab Kuch Dekho | 32,86,03,227 views 19.40 lakh subscribers |
| News ki Dunya (Pakistan based) | 61,69,439 views 97,000 subscribers |
Further, the Facebook Account blocked is Loktantra Tv with 3,62,495 followers.
Potential to affect national security
The purpose of the content published by some of these YouTube channels was to spread hatred among religious communities in India. False claims were made in various videos on the blocked YouTube channels. Examples include fake news such as, the Government of India ordering the demolition of religious structures; the Government of India banning the celebration of religious festivals, the declaration of religious war in India among others.
The YouTube channels were also being used to post fake news on various subjects such as the Indian Armed Forces, Jammu & Kashmir and other sensitive issues. From the perspective of national security and India’s friendly relations with foreign countries, the content published on these channels was completely false and misleading. It has the effect of causing communal disharmony and disturbing public order in the country.
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The content had the potential to harm the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, India’s friendly relations with foreign States, and law & order in the country.
These channels used to publish fake and sensational thumbnails, images of news anchors and logos of certain mainstream TV news channels to mislead the viewers to believe that the news is authentic.
Last Year in December 2021, the government blocked 20 YouTube channels and 2 websites for similar kind of disinformation campaigns. With this action, a total of 102 YouTube-based news channels and several other social media accounts have been blocked. In the digital borderless world, the government’s action is an effort to ensure an authentic, trustworthy, safe online news media environment and thwart any attempt to undermine the country’s sovereignty, integrity, national security, foreign relations and public order.
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