PIB fact check unit busts 9 YouTube channels spreading fake news; see list

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced on Friday that the Press Information Bureau's fact-check unit had uncovered nine YouTube channels circulating fake news and misinformation in India.

These channels, namely 'Bharat Ekta News', 'Bajrang Education', 'Bj News', 'Sansani Live TV', 'GVT News', 'Daily Study', 'Ab Bolega Bharat', 'Sarkari Yojana Official', and 'Aapke Guruji', were pinpointed by the PIB's fact-check unit, as detailed in the ministry's released list.

According to the ministry, the PIB's Fact Check Unit addressed the false information disseminated by these channels through multiple fact-checks across nine separate Twitter threads, noting that their subscriber base ranged from 11,700 to 34.70 lakh.

The ministry highlighted that these channels misattributed derogatory statements to constitutional figures such as the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister, and Chief Election Commissioner. False claims about President's Rule in certain states, EVM bans, ministerial resignations/deaths, currency note bans, bank closures, and misinformation on government schemes were among the fabricated narratives.

Moreover, these channels propagated false information regarding natural disasters, Indian citizen deaths, armed forces' deployment, school closures, etc.

With a collective subscriber count of over 83 lakh, the ministry expressed serious concerns about the monetisation of fake news on YouTube. It pointed out that these channels drive traffic and monetise content using clickbait and sensational false thumbnails.

List of Channels Busted by PIB Fact Check Unit

Since December 2022, the PIB has exposed 26 such YouTube channels regularly broadcasting false information. Furthermore, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting disclosed the blocking of over 120 YouTube channels under The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

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