Multiple social media URLs, accounts blocked for working against national interest: I-B Ministry

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has informed a parliamentary committee that it has blocked, in accordance with law, multiple social media URLs and accounts for access in India as they were found to be working against national interest following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The ministry said it has also advised OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries (social media platforms) to discontinue web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming content having origins in Pakistan.

The ministry shared the details in its reply to the query of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, about the action being taken against social media influencers and platforms that were working against national interest.

It noted it had received multiple requests for blocking the content, and these were processed under relevant laws. It had issued an advisory as well on the issue.

The advisory had noted that several terrorist attacks in India have had cross-border linkages with Pakistan-based state and non-state actors.

"In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect," it had said.