In a recent update, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur informed Rajya Sabha that the government has taken measures to block public access to 635 URLs, which includes 120 YouTube-based news channels. These actions were initiated since December 2021 due to the dissemination of fake news and content deemed detrimental to the country’s sovereignty and integrity.
Blocking Directions Under IT Rules
The government issued blocking directions in accordance with the provisions of Part-III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rule, 2021. These directives were issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to safeguard the interests of India’s sovereignty and integrity, defense, security, friendly relations with foreign states, and public order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
No Registration Required for News Publishers
In his response, Minister Anurag Thakur clarified that the IT rules of 2021 do not mandate the registration of any news and current affairs publisher on digital media, including those involved in fact-checking. The only requirement is to furnish information under rule 18.
Government’s Focus on Fact-Checking
The Indian government has been vigilant in tackling misleading information. Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw previously disclosed that the government had issued directions to block 30,310 URLs under Section 69A of the IT Act from 2018 to March 15, 2023. The URLs included various digital media entities, such as social media URLs, accounts, channels, pages, apps, web pages, and websites.
Last April, multiple amendments were introduced to the IT Rules, 2021, empowering the government to identify and flag the dissemination of misleading information. Additionally, a new entity will be established to fact-check all online content related to the government, operating under the purview of the IT Ministry. While these efforts aim to combat misinformation, concerns have been raised by rights organizations regarding potential implications for press freedom. The government is also reportedly considering a provision under the proposed Digital India Act to enforce a licensing regime for online fact-checkers.
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