India bans Pakistani channels in crackdown on social media

MORE THAN A DOZEN ON THE LIST FOR SPREADING 'PROVOCATIVE' CONTENT

- Gulf News Report

India launched a sweeping crackdown on social media yesterday, 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 yesterday, 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”.

Ban follows attack