MIB blocks 20 YouTube channels tied to a 'Pak disinformation campaign'

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) said that two Kashmir-related websites and 20 YouTube channels have been blocked because they "belong to a coordinated misinformation network operating from Pakistan."

The two separate directives for the channels and website were the first issued by the ministry under the new information technology guidelines, which will be announced on February 25th of this year.

They were provided as part of a "coordinated operation with intelligence services," according to the ministry.

"The channels were utilised to distribute divisive information in a planned way on issues such as Kashmir, the Indian Army, minority populations in India, Ram Mandir, (late CDS) General Bipin Rawat, and others," the ministry said in a statement.

The Naya Pakistan Group (NPG), which operates out of Pakistan and has a network of YouTube channels with a total user base of at least 3.5 million, is one of the 20 YouTube channels ordered to be disabled. According to the ministry, their videos have received over 550 million views.