Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday stated that the federal government blocked 94 YouTube channels, 19 social media accounts and 747 uniform useful resource locators (URLs) throughout 2021-22 for spreading pretend information.

Responding to a query in Rajya Sabha, Minister Thakur stated that these actions have been taken beneath Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000.

The minister stated that the federal government has strongly acted in opposition to companies working in opposition to the sovereignty of the nation by spreading pretend information and spreading propaganda on the web.

Thakur stated that with a purpose to examine the unfold of COVID-19 associated pretend information, a devoted cell of the very fact checking unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) was created on March 31, 2020, to which individuals can refer info associated to COVID for verification.

The unit has responded to 34,125 actionable queries, together with queries associated to COVID-19, Thakur stated, including that the PIB has additionally busted pretend information and 875 posts thereof on its social media platforms.

The claims from the I&B Minister come as India is planning to suggest new IT guidelines. India plans to kind a authorities panel to listen to appeals in opposition to content material moderation selections may lack independence. The proposed coverage change is the most recent flashpoint between India and expertise giants which have for years stated stricter laws are hurting their enterprise and funding plans. It additionally comes as India clashes with Twitter in a high-profile spat, which just lately noticed the social media agency sue the federal government in a neighborhood court docket to revoke some content material elimination orders.

The June proposal mandates social media firms should adjust to a newly fashioned authorities panel which is able to resolve on consumer complaints in opposition to content material moderation selections. The authorities has not specified who could be on the panel.

However, the brand new Indian proposal was open for public session till early July and no mounted date for implementation has been set.