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GoI orders YouTube to block ABC News documentary

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The Indian government has blocked yet another YouTube video, raising significant concerns about censorship and government overreach. Following an order from India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), the platform has now blocked an ABC News documentary titled ‘Infiltrating Australia — India’s Secret War’ from being viewed in India.

The documentary delves into allegations that the Indian government had established a covert operation to spy on critics within the Indian diaspora in Australia. The documentary was initially uploaded to YouTube on June 17 but was blocked for Indian viewers on July 27.

ABC News reported that YouTube cited an order from MIB under India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules and the Information Technology Act. The video platform stated the order was confidential, adding to the situation’s opacity.

“We have clear policies for removal requests from governments worldwide,” a YouTube spokesperson told ABC News. “We review government removal requests when notified through the correct legal processes, and, where appropriate, restrict or remove content in keeping with local laws and our Terms of Service.”

This is not the first instance of such censorship. Earlier this year, YouTube complied with another government request to block a video about the killing of a Sikh separatist produced by ABC‘s foreign correspondents in March 2024.

In June, YouTube also blocked ‘Honest Government Ad: India,‘ a video by Australia-based channel The Juice Media, following a request from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). This video was alleged to violate the Indian Penal Code and the National Honour Act of 1971, though legal experts have contended that the MHA overstepped its authority.

Indian government surveillance controversy: What has happened so far?
Frequent content blocking on the internet is a common tactic used by authoritarian governments worldwide.

Again, in June, Jio Cinema and YouTube blocked John Oliver’s video on the Indian elections.

Furthermore, the MIB used emergency powers last year to block BBC’s documentary titled ‘India: The Modi Question.’ The government directed YouTube to remove multiple uploads of the documentary and over 50 tweets linking to it. These actions are currently under legal challenge, with the Supreme Court demanding the government produce original records justifying the blocking.

The culture of blocking YouTube videos has raised several questions about freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in Article 19 (1) of the Indian constitution. It also raises significant concerns about Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000 that the government uses in such situations.

This section allows the government to block online content in the interests of national sovereignty, defence, security, and public order or to prevent incitement of cognizable offences. Despite this broad mandate, the government has frequently failed to provide clear evidence demonstrating how the blocked content threatens these incidents.

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Kumar Hemant

Kumar Hemant

Deputy Editor at Candid.Technology. Hemant writes at the intersection of tech and culture and has a keen interest in science, social issues and international relations. You can contact him here: kumarhemant@pm.me

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