122 YouTube channels blocked in 2 yrs: Minister

Ludhiana, December 16

The Union Government had blocked public access of 122 YouTube news channels for carrying violative content in the country during the past two years.

This was disclosed by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister, Anurag Thakur, while replying to a question of Punjab’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, during the ongoing session of the Parliament.

Arora had asked about the steps taken by the government to make sure that fake news channels were shut down and the number of channels, which had been forced to shut so far.

Thakur informed that the I&B Ministry had, since December 2021, issued directions for blocking the public access of 122 YouTube based news channels for carrying content violating Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. The Centre had notified the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rule, 2021, also known as IT Rules, 2021, under the IT Act, 2000, which inter-alia provides for adherence of code of ethics laid down under the rules by publishers of news and current affairs on digital media and publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms).

Thakur asserted that appropriate action was taken where violation of the codes was found.

Steps taken by govt on fake news channels

MP Sanjeev Arora had asked the government to list steps taken to shut down news channels running fake news and specify the number of such channels removed so far.