I&B Ministry investigates allegations against YouTube employees of unfairly limiting Indian elections coverage

Polling for India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections concluded on June 1. However, just a day before the result was to be announced on June 4, reports from X (formerly Twitter) have emerged, indicating the alleged involvement of YouTube India employees in unjustly constraining coverage pertaining to Indian elections.

Additionally, it has been reported that recorded conversations have been provided to India’s intelligence agencies. Allegations suggest that a select group of YouTube employees have tampered with algorithms, deliberately aiming to suppress impartial Lok Sabha election reporting and censor videos and journalists from disseminating Pro-Modi content during the electoral period.

Inputs in form of recorded conversation of 17 YouTube India employees have been provided to intelligence agencies who have started to investigate the matter. Rohan Dua, Editor of the New Indian familiar with the development stated these YouTube India employees explicitly wrote & spoke instructions on how to shadow ban any neutral coverage & promote anti @narendramodi trash. He added that these employees include five females and twelve males, and are from Mumbai, Kerala & West Bengal. These employees are suspected of having altered the YouTube algorithm, slapped indiscriminate & arbitrary bans on 93 journalists and 42 channels who reported neutrally on BJP this election.

The Indian government has commenced a thorough examination into the veracity of these reports. If indeed these allegations are substantiated, whether implicating individual employees or the company as a whole, it would constitute a blatant infringement of Indian laws, including the Penal Code. In such an event, appropriate legal action may be pursued.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told Business Today, “The Ministry has taken note of the reports alleging involvement of YouTube employees in unfairly restricting coverage related to the Indian elections. Veracity of these news reports is being examined in coordination with MeitY.” It also stated, “If such activities are proven true, such foreign interference may be considered a direct violation of Indian laws, including the Indian Penal Code. Action may also be initiated under the provisions of the IT Act, 2000 read with IT Rules, 2021.”

An email sent to YouTube's parent company Google received no response till publishing.