India bans Pakistani channels in social media crackdown

TDT | New Delhi

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India launched a sweeping crackdown on social media on Monday, banning more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading “provocative” content following an attack in Kashmir.

The banned platforms include the YouTube channels of Pakistani news outlets Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Bol News, Raftar, Geo News and Suno News.

The sites were blocked in India on Monday, with a message reading it was due to an “order from the government related to national security or public order”.

The Press Trust of India news agency, which listed 16 channels, cited a government statement saying they were blocked for “disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India”.

The information ministry also issued an advisory notice on Saturday calling on journalists and social media users to “exercise utmost responsibility” while reporting on matters “concerning defence and other security related operations”.

The advisory not warned that “premature disclosure of sensitive information may inadvertently assist hostile elements and endanger operational effectiveness”.