Ministry of I&B banned more than 150 ‘anti-India’ websites and YouTube channels in two years

Since May 2021, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) have taken down over 150 websites and YouTube-based news channels for producing “anti-India” content, as per officials aware of the details.  

Due to violation of Section 69A of Information Technology (IT) Act the websites and channels were removed. The act empowers the Centre to issue directions to any government agency or an intermediary to block content in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to such matters.

“Over 150 websites and YouTube-based news channels have been brought down by the ministry in the past two years for producing anti-India content,” said a senior I&B official.

The YouTube news channels that are brought down has more than 12,123,500 subscribers and over 1,320,426,964 views in total. Khabar with Facts, Khabar Taiz, Information Hub, Flash Now, Mera Pakistan, Hakikat Ki Duniya and Apni Dunya TV were few of the channels that were taken down, said the official.   

From time to time, the I&B Ministry has issued orders to take down YouTube channels that are spreading misinformation and threatening the country’s sovereignty under the new IT rules incorporated on February 25, 2021.

In July last year, I&B minister Anurag Thakur informed Parliament that 78 YouTube-based news channels and 560 YouTube links were blocked for public access between 2021 and 2022 over violations. He had said, “Any (social media) account that is trying to spin a conspiracy or mislead people will face action.”

In January last year, the Centre blocked 35 Pakistan-based YouTube channels and two websites for “spreading anti-India fake news in a coordinated manner over digital media”.