Center’s decision to ban 20 channels of YouTube took the general masses and the social media influencers by astonishment. Allegations of posting ‘anti-national’ content had been imposed upon the channels as a result of which ‘center’ decided against banning 20 channels of YouTube. Ban on Social media has been criticized by netizens and influencers as it curbs the right of the citizens’ freedom of speech and expression. Emergency provisions had been invoked to ban the channels from the social media website for the first time under the Act of IT guidelines and digital media Ethics Code, 2021 (News Laundry, 2021). The secretary of information and broadcast had taken the initial initiative of exercising the emergency provisions of the IT Act, 2021. Allegedly, the content on the channels that have been ordered to be forcefully banned had been a serious threat to the nation’s integrity and sovereignty. The blasphemous content had been allegedly causing impingement of patriotism.

One of the channels that had been banned had been called ‘Naya Pakistan’ which took to fake news about Ayodhya, the Kashmir controversy, and the farm laws (News Laundry, 2021). ‘Naya Pakistan’ has also been found to be the owner of the other channels that have been banned which included known names like ‘Junaid Halim official’ and ‘The naked truth’. Another astonishing fact about the banned channels is a large number of followers and fan base of the channels which accounts to be 3.5 million (News Laundry, 2021). The viewership that had been enjoyed by the channel was 500 million (News Laundry, 2021). The websites have thus been marked to be propagating antinational feelings among the citizens. On a contrary, the event has created controversy regarding the freedom of Indians in sharing posts and use of social media (Buisness Standard, 2021). One of the most important roles played by media is the propagation of free and undistorted information which has been curbed in the process. The event of banning channels on YouTube is unusual and rare as the decision of imposing the IT act has been taken by the government for the very first time (Buisness Standard, 2021). The rights of the government towards safeguarding the integrity and the sovereignty of the nation are deeply reflected through the swift actions of the government (Buisness Standard, 2021). Although the impact on the freedom of expression has been negative, the efforts of the government have been towards looking after the wellbeing and the security of the nation for a secured future ahead.

References

Buisness Standard. (2021, December 21). The Youtube channels and the websites were allegedly running anti-India content from Pakistan. Retrieved from https://www.business-standard.com/: https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/govt-bans-20-youtube-channels-two-websites-under-new-it-rules-121122100196_1.html

News Laundry. (2021, December 21). ‘Affects sovereignty of India’: Centre ‘bans’ 20 YouTube channels and two websites under new IT rules. Retrieved from https://www.newslaundry.com/: https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/12/21/affects-sovereignty-of-india-centre-bans-20-youtube-channels-and-two-websites-under-new-it-rules