Govt blocks 20 YouTube channels, 2 websites for anti-India propaganda, fake news

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ordered the blocking of 20 YouTube channels and two websites spreading anti-India fake news and propaganda on the Internet. Two separate orders — one for 20 channels directing YouTube and the second one for two news websites requesting Department of Telecom to direct the internet service providers for blocking the news channels or portals.
 
As per the ministry, these YouTube channels and websites belong to a coordinated disinformation network from Pakistan and were spreading false information about several sensitive subjects in India such as Kashmir, General Bipin Rawat, minority communities in India, Indian Army, Ram Mandir, etc. Some of the YouTube channels on I&B Ministry’s radar are Naya Pakistan Global, Go Global, The Punch Line, InternationalWeb News, Khalsa TV, The Naked Truth, News24, 48 News, etc.

Titles of some of the videos are Imran Khan Zindabad !! Kashmir Louds As Kashmiri People Got Major Victory Over Indian Army ||Modi; Reconstruction Of Mosque At Place Of Ram Mandir Announced By Tayyab Erdogan || Yogi, Modi InTrouble; Khalistan Referendum Song 2021| #khalistansong2021 #khalistanreferendum #khalistansong#khalistan; Five Country Alliance Takes Brilliant Decision on Babri Masjid; 200 Indian Army Personnel Accept Islam In Srinagar among others. Most of this content is “sensitive from the perspective of national security” and is “factually incorrect”.

“The modus operandi of the anti-India disinformation campaign involved The Naya Pakistan Group (NPG), operating from Pakistan, having a network of YouTube channels, and some other standalone YouTube channels not related to NPG. The channels had a combined subscriber base of over 35 lakh, and their videos had over 55 crore views. Some of the YouTube channels of the Naya Pakistan Group (NPG) were being operated by anchors of Pakistani news channels,” the Ministry said in its communiqué.
 
The Ministry utilised emergency powers under the Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Code) Rules, 2021 to secure the information space in the country. It further noted that this content is being primarily posted from Pakistan as a coordinated disinformation network against India and “deemed it fit for action under the provisions to block content in case of emergency.”