India: India issues orders blocking social media accounts involved in spreading “anti-India” content

On 21 January 2022, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued several orders to social media and news companies to block access to thirty-five YouTube news channels, two websites, two Twitter accounts, two Instagram accounts, and one Facebook account. The MIB noted that those accounts were spreading “anti-India” content and false information. The MIB decision follows the adoption of the Information Technology Rules on 2 February 2021, giving the ministry the power to restrict access to content during emergencies where “no delay is acceptable”.