22 YouTube channels blocked

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has blocked 22 YouTube channels for spreading misinformation related to India's national security. The government in a statement said this is the first time Indian YouTube channels are being blocked under the new IT Rules of 2021.

The government has also laid out the details of these YouTube channels as to why they are being blocked. It also showed screenshots of the kind of content these channels were showing. The statement said that these YouTube channels were using logos of TV news channels and false thumbnails to mislead viewers. Further, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also blocked three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account, and one news website alongside the 22 YouTube channels.

It also said that title and thumbnail of the videos were frequently altered to increase the virality of content on social media. In certain cases, it was also observed that systematic anti-India fake news was originating from Pakistan.

The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore, and were used to spread fake news, and coordinated disinformation over social media on subjects sensitive from the perspective of national security, India's foreign relations, and public order," the statement said.