E-Paper
635 URLs blocked under IT rules since 2021, says Anurag Thakur in Rajya Sabha
The Indian government has blocked public access to 635 URLs, including websites and applications, since December 2021, under the IT Rules, 2021.
The Bharatiya Janata Party government has blocked public access to 635 URLs, including 10 websites and five applications, since December 2021, under the IT Rules, 2021, union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said on Thursday in a response to a question, asked by TMC leader Derek O’brien in the Rajya Sabha.
“Under the provisions of Part-III of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has since December, 2021 issued directions for blocking from public access of 635 URLs, including 10 websites and 05 Apps,” said the minister in his response.
The minister did not provide details of the URLS.
Since May 2021, over 150 websites and Youtube-based news channels have been taken down by the I&B ministry for allegedly producing “anti-India” content, officials aware of the matter told HT in June.
The websites and channels were removed over violation of Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which empowers the Centre to issue directions to any government agency of 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, the officials had said.
The I&B ministry has, from time to time, issued orders to take down YouTube channels for 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.”
