New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B ministry) has banned more than 150 websites and YouTube news channels from May 2021 till now for creating ‘anti-India’ content. According to a report in The Hindustan Times, officials of the Central Government, who are aware of the entire matter, said that these websites and channels were banned for violating Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act. These laws empower the Central Government to prevent any government agency or intermediary from committing any cognizable offense relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the defense of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order, or such matters. Empowers to issue directions for blocking of content.
A senior official of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who did not want to be named, said that over 150 websites and YouTube news channels have been blocked by the ministry in the last two years for making anti-India content. The YouTube news channels that were blocked had more than 12,123,500 subscribers and more than 1,320,426,964 views in total. The banned channels include Khabar with Facts, Khabar Taiz, Information Hub, Flash Now, Mera Pakistan, Haqiqat Ki Duniya, and Apni Duniya TV. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued orders from time to time to remove YouTube channels from the platform for spreading misinformation and endangering the sovereignty of the country under the new IT rules made on February 25, 2021.
In July last year, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur told Parliament that 78 YouTube news channels and 560 YouTube links were blocked for public access between 2021 and 2022 due to violations of the rules. He had said that ‘any social media account that is trying to create conspiracy or mislead people will face action.’ Significantly, in January last year, the Center blocked 35 YouTube channels and two websites based in Pakistan. Was blocked for ‘spreading anti-India fake news in a collective manner on digital media’.
