Govt issues advisory to remove Pakistan-origin content | I & B Ministry launches anti-propaganda campaign

 

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory to India-based OTT and other media-streaming platforms and social media intermediaries mandating that all Pakistan-origin content such as web series, films, music, and podcasts be removed immediately. 

 

The advisory comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, and Operation Sindoor, India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred on April 22. 

 

"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," said the advisory which invoked the Code of Ethics mentioned in Part III of the Information Technology Rules 2021, that publishers have to adhere to.

 

Quoting The Code of Ethics under the Rules, the advisory said:

"a publisher shall take into consideration the following factors, when deciding to feature or transmit or publish or exhibit any content, after duly considering the implications of any content as falling under the following categories, and shall exercise due caution and discretion in relation to the same, namely,

 

(i) content which affects the sovereignty and integrity of India;

(ii) content which threatens, endangers or jeopardises the security of the State;

(iii) content which is detrimental to India's friendly relations with foreign countries;

(iv) content which is likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order."

 

It has been noted that some platforms have already pulled Pakistan-origin content from their catalogues. Moreover, netizens have observed that the social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities have been rendered inaccessible across multiple platforms.

 

Taking into account the flood of misinformation and false narratives on social media following India's strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched a campaign called #IndiaFightsPropaganda.

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Meanwhile, social media platform X has suspended over 8,000 accounts in India following orders from the Union government. Announcing the decision in a post on X, it said, "X has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees. The orders include demands to block access in India to accounts belonging to international news organizations and prominent X users. In most cases, the Indian government has not specified which posts from an account have violated India's local laws."

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