Eight YouTube channels blocked over 'hate news'

New Delhi, August 18

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued orders to block eight YouTube-based news channels, a Facebook account and two Facebook posts.

The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 114 crore and were subscribed by over 85 lakh users, the ministry said on Thursday.

The purpose of the content published by some of these YouTube channels was to spread hatred among religious communities in India. False claims were made in various videos of the blocked YouTube channels. Examples include fake news such as the Government of India having ordered demolition of religious structures, having banned celebration of religious festivals and declaration of a religious war in India. Such content was found to have the potential to create communal disharmony and disturb public order in the country. The YouTube channels were also used to post fake news on various subjects such as the Indian armed forces and Jammu and Kashmir. “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 ministry said. The blocked Indian YouTube channels were observed to be using fake and sensational thumbnails, images of news anchors and logos of certain TV news channels to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic..

Since December 2021, the ministry has issued directions for blocking of 102 YouTube-based news channels and several other social media accounts. — TNS

One Pak-based

Loktantra TV | U&V TV | AM Razvi | Gouravshali Pawan Mithilanchal | SeeTop5TH | Sarkari Update | Sab Kuch Dekho and Pakistan-based News ki Duniya

114 cr viewers

• Channels had a cumulative viewership of over 114 cr
• Platforms were subscribed by over 85 lakh users

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