73 Twitter accounts, four YouTube channels blocked by the Ministry of IT

The IT Department suspended 73 Twitter handles, four YouTube channels and an Instagram game for incitement, mostly centered around a fake video of an alleged cabinet meeting.

The handles are believed to have come from Pakistan, sources said, adding that the action was taken after Twitter users complained to Deputy IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The first information about the incitement video was shared on Chandrasekhar’s Twitter account where a Twitter user asked him to “take action against the creators of a very violent video which features the Prime Minister”.

Chandrasekhar said the “fake and violent” video had been in the public domain since December 2020. Responding to the request, the minister said, “Get to work”, and added that the IT ministry takes its responsibility to keep Internet wise and trustworthy. , and intermediaries (social media companies) responsible for content and due diligence “very seriously”.

Later, Chandrasekhar said that the Safe and Trusted Internet Task Force had been working on the issue.

“Handles that tried to push fake/incentivized content on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram were blocked.” Additionally, he said the owners of the accounts were identified for action as required by law. The minister also said that the ministry will review the platforms’ performance on their due diligence.

This article originally appeared in
The Times of India.

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