NEW DELHI: In a significant move, the government announced on Tuesday its decisive actions against eight YouTube channels, collectively amassing an impressive subscriber base of nearly 23 million. These channels have been identified for their dissemination of fabricated information, including misleading reports on the premature announcement of Lok Sabha elections and the alleged banning of electronic voting machines.
The crackdown was a result of meticulous fact-checking conducted by the Press Information Bureau, which unveiled the extent of false news being propagated by these channels. These platforms, namely Yahan Sach Dekho, Capital TV, KPS News, Sarkari Vlog, Earn Tech India, SPN9 News, Educational Dost, and World Best News, were found to be weaving webs of deception in the digital sphere.
World Best News, boasting over 1.7 million subscribers and a staggering 180 million views, faced accusations of distorting facts related to the Indian Army, a revelation that raised concerns among officials. Meanwhile, Educational Dost, commanding an audience of more than 3.43 million subscribers and an astonishing 230 million views, was found guilty of disseminating misinformation regarding government schemes.
SPN9 News, with a subscriber count surpassing 4.8 million and a view count of 1.89 billion, emerged as another malefactor, implicated in circulating fake news concerning the country's president, prime minister, and other high-ranking central ministers.
Sarkari Vlog, amassing over 4.5 million subscribers and an impressive 94 million views, was not exempt from the government's scrutiny, as its content was revealed to be laden with deceptive information about government initiatives.
Similarly, KPS News, a channel with over a million subscribers and a view count exceeding 130 million, was unmasked as a purveyor of fake news, primarily centering around governmental schemes, policies, and decisions. Shockingly unrealistic claims such as the availability of cooking gas cylinders at an implausible rate of Rs 20 and petrol at an inconceivable cost of Rs 15 per litre tainted the channel's credibility.
The reach of misinformation extended to 'Capital TV' as well, with a subscriber base of over 3.5 million and an impressive 1.6 billion views. The channel was implicated in circulating fictitious news about the prime minister, governmental actions, and proclamations related to the imposition of President's rule in West Bengal.
Even 'Yahan Sach Dekho', with a substantial following of over 3 million subscribers and a view count exceeding 100 million, was not immune to controversy. The channel's content revolved around spurious news related to the Election Commission and the Chief Justice of India.
In a cascade of misleading narratives, 'Earn India Tech' with its 31,000 subscribers and 3.6 million views was identified as a purveyor of false news in realms such as Aadhar card, PAN card, and other crucial domains.
The government's proactive stance against these channels serves as a resounding message against the unchecked spread of misinformation, underscoring the imperative of responsible content creation and consumption in the digital age.
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