The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, under the IT Rules, 2021, has issued orders for blocking of 22 YouTube based news channels, 3 Twitter accounts, and 1 Facebook account, and 1 news website. The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore, and were used to spread fake news over social media on subjects of India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.

Since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021, in February last year, this is the first time action has been taken on the Indian YouTube based news publishers. Through the recent blocking order, eighteen (18) Indian YouTube news channels have been blocked.

According to Ministry, “It was observed that a significant amount of false content published by the these Indian YouTube based channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardizing India’s foreign relations with other countries.”

The blocked Indian YouTube channels were using templates and logos of certain TV news channels, including images of their news anchors, false thumbnails, and title and thumbnail of the videos were frequently altered to increase the virality of content on social media.

Since December 2021, the Ministry has blocked 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.

Details of Social Media Accounts and Website Blocked

YouTube channels

Sl. No	YouTube Channel Name	Media Statistics
Indian YouTube channels
1.	ARP News	Subscribers:  Total Views: 4,40,68,652
2.	AOP News	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 74,04,673
3.	LDC News	Subscribers:  4,72,000 Total Views:6,46,96,730
4.	SarkariBabu	Subscribers:  2,44,000 Total Views: 4,40,14,435
5.	SS ZONE Hindi	Subscribers:  N.A Total Views:5,28,17,274
6.	Smart News	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 13,07,34,161
7.	News23Hindi	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 18,72,35,234
8.	Online Khabar	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 4,16,00,442
9.	DP news	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 11,99,224
10.	PKB News	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 2,97,71,721
11.	KisanTak	Subscribers:  NA Total Views: 36,54,327
12.	Borana News	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 2,46,53,931
13.	Sarkari News Update	Subscribers: NA  Total Views: 2,05,05,161
14.	Bharat Mausam	Subscribers: 2,95,000 Total Views: 7,04,14,480
15.	RJ ZONE 6	Subscribers:  NA Total Views: 12,44,07,625
16.	Exam Report	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 3,43,72,553
17.	Digi Gurukul	Subscribers:  NA Total Views: 10,95,22,595
18.	दिनभरकीखबरें	Subscribers: NA Total Views: 23,69,305
Pakistan based YouTube channels
19.	DuniyaMeryAagy	Subscribers: 4,28,000 Total Views: 11,29,96,047
20.	Ghulam NabiMadni	Total Views:  37,90,109
21.	HAQEEQAT TV	Subscribers: 40,90,000 Total Views: 1,46,84,10,797
22.	HAQEEQAT TV 2.0	Subscribers: 3,03,000 Total Views: 37,542,059

Website

Sl .No	Website
	Dunya Mere Aagy

Twitter accounts (All Pakistan based)

Sl .No	Twitter Account	No. of followers
	Ghulam NabiMadni	5,553
	DunyaMeryAagy	4,063
	Haqeeqat TV	323,800

Facebook account

Sl .No	Facebook Account	No. of followers
	DunyaMeryAagy	2,416