• The government has issued directions for blocking 110 YouTube-based news channels and 248 URLs since December 2021 for carrying content against the sovereignty of the country, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

• The ministry of information & broadcasting has issued directions under the provisions of IT Rules, 2021.

• The 248 user generated URLs that are blocked include web pages, websites, posts/accounts on social media platforms, podcasts, and apps for carrying content referred to in section 69A of IT Act, 2000.

What does Section 69A of IT Act say?

• The Information Technology Act (IT Act), 2000 was enacted with a view to give a fillip to electronic transactions, to provide legal recognition for e-commerce and e-transactions, to facilitate e-governance, to prevent computer based crimes and ensure security practices and procedures. The Act came into force on October 17, 2000.

• Section 69A of the Act empowers the government to block any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence relating to above. 

Mechanisms to combat fake news

In another reply, Thakur said the government has statutory and institutional mechanisms in place to combat fake news. 

They are: 

i) A Fact Check Unit has been set up under the Press Information Bureau under the ministry of information & broadcasting in November 2019 which takes cognizance of fake news relating to the central government both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and social media. The Unit responds to the relevant queries with correct and updated information.

ii) For print media, Press Council of India (PCI), a statutory autonomous body set up under the Press Council Act, 1978, has framed “Norms of Journalistic Conduct” for adherence by the media. These norms inter alia stress upon accuracy and fairness, pre-publication verification, distinction between conjecture, speculation, comment and fact avoiding sensational/provocative headings and justification for the matter printed under them, etc.

In case of violation of norms, as per section 14 of the Act, after holding an inquiry, PCI may warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalists as the case may be.

iii) For television, all TV channels are required to adhere to the programme code under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, including that programmes should not contain anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half-truths.

iv) For digital news publishers, the government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 under the IT Act, 2000 on  February 25, 2021, which provides for a Code of Ethics for adherence by digital news publishers.

Appropriate action is taken by the government and the Press Council in case of violation of the Codes, etc.

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