I&B Ministry’s axe on Aaj Tak Live, News Headlines, Sarkari Updates; to be removed from YouTube for spreading fake news

PIB Fact Check Unit busted the channels for spreading false information. These channels had over 33 lakh subscribers.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed YouTube to take down three channels — Aaj Tak Live, News Headlines and Sarkari Updates from its platform, in view of these channels being declared by PIB Fact Check Unit as peddlers of fake news.

“In a series of over 40 fact-checks, the PIB Fact Check Unit (FCU) busted three YouTube channels which were spreading false information in India. These YouTube channels had nearly 33 lakh subscribers and their videos, almost all of which were found to be false, were watched over 30 crore times,” the ministry said in an official release.

This is the first time when PIB has exposed entire YouTube channels as against individual posts on social media spreading false claims.

Details of the YouTube channels fact-checked by PIB are as under:
Sl. No. Name of YouTube Channel Subscribers Views

1. News Headlines 9.67 lakh 31,75,32,290
2. Sarkari Update 22.6 lakh 8,83,594
3. आज तक LIVE 65.6 thousand 1,25,04,177

These YouTube channels spread false and sensational claims about the Supreme Court of India, Chief Justice of India, Government schemes, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), farm loan waivers, among other fake news. “Examples include fake news such as the Supreme Court to have ruled that future elections would be conducted by ballot papers; Government giving money to people who have bank accounts, Aadhar Cards and PAN cards; ban on EVMs, etc”, the release said.

“The YouTube channels were observed to be using fake and sensational thumbnails with logos of TV channels and images of their news anchors to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic. These channels were also found to be displaying advertisements on their videos, and monetizing misinformation on YouTube,” the release further said.

Over 100 YouTube channels have been blocked by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the past one year following updates from the PIB Fact Check Unit.

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