8 YouTube Channels Blocked Over "Fake, Anti-India Content"

Spread Hatred among religious communities in India

New Delhi: The Indian government has got YouTube to block access to eight channels — seven Indian and one which was run from Pakistan — over "fake, anti-India content", taking the number to 102 since December last year, 2021.

One Facebook account and two posts on the platform have also been blocked in the latest action, using emergency powers under IT Rules 2021, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a release on Friday.

These eight YouTube channels -- with nearly 86 lakh subscribers and over 114 crore views -- "spread hatred among religious communities in India... [with] false claims," said the ministry.

"Examples include fake news such as the Government of India to have ordered demolition of religious structures in India... to have banned celebration of religious festivals, declaration of religious war among communities in India," the release added.

The government later says that it is "committed towards ensuring an authentic, trustworthy, and safe online news media environment". The action against some social media channels is to "thwart any attempts at undermining India's sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order".