The Indian government has blocked seven Indian and one Pakistan-based YouTube channel for allegedly publishing ‘fake anti-India content.’
The ministry of information and broadcasting said, “Ministry of I&B blocks 8 YouTube channels for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations and public order. 7 Indian and 1 Pakistan based YouTube news channels blocked under IT Rules, 2021. Blocked YouTube channels had over 114 crore views; and 85 lakh 73 thousand subscribers. Fake anti-India content was being monetized by the blocked channels on YouTube.”
These YouTube channels are Loktantra Tv, U&V TV, AM Razvi, Gouravshali Pawan Mithilanchal, SeeTop5TH, Sarkari Update and Sab Kuch Dekho. The Pakistan-based YouTube channel blocked is News ki Dunya.
Justifying its decision to block these YouTube channels, the government said, “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 of the blocked YouTube channels. Examples include fake news such as the Government of India to have ordered demolition of religious structures; Government of India to have banned celebration of religious festivals, declaration of religious war in India, etc. Such content was found to have the potential to create communal disharmony and disturb public order in the country.
“The YouTube channels were also used to post fake news on various subjects such as the Indian Armed Forces, Jammu and Kashmir, etc. The content was observed to be completely false and sensitive from the perspective of national security and India’s friendly relations with foreign States.”
This is not the first time that the I&B ministry under Anurag Thakur has blocked YouTube channels for allegedly indulging in ‘anti-India’ propaganda.
The government has blocked 78 YouTube channels and 560 URLs since 2021.
Subscribers, views
Loktantra Tv had 12.90 lakh subscribers (23,72,27,331 views), U&V TV 10.20 lakh (14,40,03,291 views), AM Razvi 95,900 (1,22,78,194 views), Gouravshali Pawan Mithilanchal 7 lakh (15,99,32,594 views), SeeTop5TH 33.5 lakh (24,83,64,997 views), Sarkari Update 80,900 (70,41,723 views), Sab Kuch Dekho 19.4 lakh (32,86,03,227 views) and News Ki Duniya 97,000 (61,69,439 views).