Any Website, YouTube Channel Spreading Lies, Conspiring Against India Will Be Blocked
Any Website, YouTube Channel Spreading Lies, Conspiring Against India Will Be Blocked
A few weeks after 20 YouTube channels and two websites were blocked for spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur warned that the government will continue to take such action against those “hatching conspiracy” against the country.
“ I had ordered for action against them.… I am happy that many big countries across the world took cognisance of it. YouTube also came forward and took action to block them,” Thakur told reporters here while replying to queries on the issue.
20 anti-India websites blocked
In a “closely coordinated” effort with intelligence agencies, the I&B ministry had in December last year ordered the blocking of 20 YouTube channels and two websites as they were spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news.
“ And in future also, action will be taken to block any such account hatching conspiracy against India, spreading lies and dividing the society,” the minister asserted.
“ And in future also, action will be taken to block any such account hatching conspiracy against India, spreading lies and dividing the society,” the minister asserted.
In a statement in December, the ministry had said that these 20 YouTube channels and the websites belonged to “a coordinated disinformation network” operating from Pakistan and spreading fake news about various sensitive subjects related to India.
The channels were used to post “ divisive content in a coordinated manner on topics like Kashmir, Indian army, minority communities in India, Ram Mandir, General Bipin Rawat, etc”, it had said.
" The channels and websites belong to a coordinated disinformation network operating from Pakistan and spreading fake news about various sensitive subjects related to India," the press release on PIB said.
" The channels were used to post divisive content in a coordinated manner on topics like Kashmir, Indian Army, minority communities in India, Ram Mandir, General Bipin Rawat, etc."
Their modus operandi, the PIB note said, was an "anti-India disinformation campaign involved The Naya Pakistan Group (NPG), operating from Pakistan, having a network of YouTube channels, and some other standalone YouTube channels not related to NPG".
" The channels had a combined subscriber base of over 35 lakh, and their videos had over 55 crore views. Some of the YouTube channels of the Naya Pakistan Group (NPG) were being operated by anchors of Pakistani news channels," the note said.
Among their controversial content were"issues such as the farmers’ protest, protests related to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act".
These channels, the note claims, "tried to incite the minorities against the Government of India".
"It was also feared that these YouTube channels would be used to post content to undermine the democratic process of the upcoming elections in five states," the press release said.
