April 25, 2022: India on Monday, April 25 said that 16 YouTube channels, including six operating from Pakistan, and a Facebook account and 10 India-based YouTube news channels were blocked for disinformation on subjects concerning national security and public order, in its latest such federal crackdown. This comes within three weeks of the government blocking 18 YouTube channels over national security.

The government, which invoked "emergency powers" under India's IT laws, said the channels had not “furnished information to the ministry as required under rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021”.

The blocked social media accounts, including six Pakistan-based and 10 India-based YouTube news channels with a cumulative viewership of over 68 crores, were spreading “false, unverified information to create panic, incite communal disharmony and disturb public order in India”, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said in the statement.

“It was observed that these channels were used to spread fake news over social media on matters related to national security, India’s foreign relations, communal harmony in the country, and public order. None of the digital news publishers had furnished information to the Ministry as required under rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021,” it said.

“Some of the India-based channels referred to a community as terrorists, and incited hatred among the members of various religious communities. Such content was found to have the potential to create communal disharmony, and disturb public order,” the statement read.