22 YouTube channels blocked for ‘spreading disinformation’; 4 from Pakistan, 18 from India
The government announced in a news release on Tuesday that the information and broadcasting ministry had shut 22 YouTube channels for “promoting disinformation relevant to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.”
The government said that four of the 22 restricted channels were based in Pakistan and the rest in India, and that this is the first time action has been taken against India-based YouTube accounts since the IT Rules were announced in February last year.
According to the authorities, three Twitter accounts, a Facebook account, and a news website have all been shut in addition to the 22 YouTube channels.
“Several YouTube channels were used to spread fake news about the Indian armed forces, Jammu and Kashmir, and other topics. Certain anti-India content posted from several social media accounts run in a coordinated manner from Pakistan was also ordered to be blocked “According to the administration.
“A large amount of fraudulent content released by these Indian-based YouTube channels was discovered to be related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine and targeted at endangering India’s foreign ties with other nations,” the ministry claimed.
