The Central government of Tuesday blocked 22 YouTube channels for spreading misinformation regarding national security, foreign relations and public order.

The YouTube channels were blocked under IT Rules, 2021 by the information and broadcasting ministry. In a first, 18 of the 22 blocked channels were of Indian origin, while four were Pakistan-based YouTube news channels.

The government said in a statement, “Multiple YouTube channels were used to post fake news on various subjects such as the Indian Armed Forces, Jammu and Kashmir, etc. The content ordered to be blocked also included certain anti-India content posted from multiple social media accounts operated in a coordinated manner from Pakistan.”

"It was observed that a significant amount of false content published by these Indian YouTube based channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardising India's foreign relations with other countries," the statement added.

Earlier in January, as many as 35 YouTube channels, two Twitter accounts, two Instagram accounts, two websites and a Facebook account were blocked by the Ministry of information and broadcasting for allegedly spreading misinformation.

The joint secretary (P&A), ministry of information and broadcasting, Vikram Sahay had said, "The common factor amongst all these accounts have been that they operate from Pakistan and spread fake anti-India news and other content."

"The blocked accounts have contents on Indian Arm Forces, Kashmir, India's foreign relation with other countries and the death of former CDS Bipin Rawat", said the Ministry.