YouTube channels used logos of TV news channels and false thumbnails
New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Tuesday informed blocking 22 YouTube channels, along with three Twitter accounts and one Facebook account for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations and public order.
Among the 22 channels, 18 are Indian YouTube news channels and four are Pakistan-based YouTube news channels.
The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crores and were found spreading 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 Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, utilizing the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021, has issued orders on 04.04.2022 for blocking these channels and website,” the ministry said in a press statement.
ARP News, AOP News, LDC News, SarkariBabu, SS ZONE Hindi, Smart News, News23Hindi, Online Khabar, DP news, PKB News, KisanTak, Borana News, Sarkari News Update, Bharat Mausam, RJ ZONE 6, Exam Report, Digi Gurukul and Dinbhar ki khabrein are the Indian channels blocked.
DuniyaMeryAagy, Ghulam NabiMadni, HAQEEQAT TV and HAQEEQAT TV 2.0 are the four Pakistani YouTube news channels. DuniyaMeryAagy’s website, Twitter account and Facebook account have also been blocked, while Ghulam NabiMadni and HAQEEQAT TV’s Twitter accounts have been blocked.
The Ministry said that the blocked Indian YouTube channels were using templates and logos of popular TV news channels, including images of their news anchors to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic. False thumbnails were also used, and the title and thumbnail of the videos were frequently altered to increase the virality of content on social media.
With this action, since December 2021, the Ministry has issued directions for blocking 78 YouTube-based news channels and several other social media accounts on grounds related to national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, etc.
