‘Fake, anti-India content’: 8 YouTube news channels with 114 cr viewers banned

In a statement, the government said 7 Indian and 1 Pakistan- based YouTube news channels were blocked under IT Rules, 2021.

Eight YouTube channels - that had an overall viewership of over 114 crore - have been banned by the government for spreading disinformation. Of the total channels, seven are from India and one is based out of Pakistan. “Fake, anti-India content was being monetised by the blocked channels,” the ministry of information and broadcasting said in a statement.

The government made the announcement in a press statement. (HT_PRINT)

The channels were spreading misinformation regarding India’s national security, foreign relations and public order, the government said. "The content was observed to be completely false and sensitive from the perspective of national security and India’s friendly relations with foreign states," the statement read.

Seven Indian channels that have been banned are: Loktantra TV, U&V TV, AM Razvi, Gouravshali Pawan Mithilanchal, SeeTop5TH , Sarkari Update, Sab Kuch Dekho. News ki Dunya is the Pakistan based channel that has been blocked. Around 85 lakh users had subscribed to the channels. Apart from these one Facebook account and two Facebook posts have been blocked.

To mislead users, the ministry said, and make their content seem "authentic", the channels - based in India "were observed to be using fake and sensational thumbnails, images of news anchors and logos of certain TV news channels". "All the YouTube channels blocked by the Ministry were displaying advertisements on their videos having false content detrimental to communal harmony, public order and India’s foreign relations," the government further underlined.

Since December, 102 channels on YouTube and several other social media accounts have been blocked by the Centre.

"The Government of India remains committed towards ensuring an authentic, trustworthy, and safe online news media environment, and thwart any attempts at undermining India’s sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order," the order read.