In an official statement, MIB stated that the 16 YouTube channels and a Facebook account included six channels from Pakistan and the rest from India. Â
On Monday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) stated that it banned 16 YouTube News channels and a Facebook account as they were spreading disinformation about ‘India’s National Security.’ According to an official statement from the government, the YouTube channels included six channels from Pakistan and the rest in India. Â
The blocked YouTube channel and the Facebook account had a cumulative viewership of 68 Cr. According to the statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, these channels were spreading unverified information that has created panic and communal disharmony and disturbed the peaceful situation in India. The content posted on the social media accounts also included anti-India content posted in cooperation with Pakistanis in a coordinated manner. Â
The I&B Ministry said in an official statement, “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 statement further stated that Indian-based YouTube channels referred to a community as terrorists and incited hatred among the people against the community. Such content has caused damage to the public order.Â
In an earlier attempt, the MIB had blocked 22 channels; four were from Pakistan and the rest from India. As per the ministry, these YouTube channels were targeted to spread misinformation against India and hurt India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order. According to OpIndia, one of the channels named Tahaffuz-E-Deen in India had over 7 lakh subscribers and every video had 10 CR views. The channel also spread many lies, including alleging that the mastermind behind the attacks of Ludhiana Court blast was a Hindu. Â
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the Pakistani channel was to have coordinated with Indian Channels and have spoken about various issues, including the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir and India’s foreign stand on the Russia – Ukraine War. After a day of MIB warning multiple TV channels to stop spreading false claims and scandalous headlines about the country, the move comes. The statement further added that the Government of India aims to procure a safe environment in India and maintain peace through print, television, and online news portals. Â
Published By – Chirag Agrawal
Edited By – Dhannyaa Menon
