IT Ministry Urges YouTube to Label Fake News Channels with ‘Unverified’ Disclaimer
New Delhi, Oct 16: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has called on YouTube, owned by Google, to take legal action against “fake news channels” and advised the platform to include a disclaimer to effectively address this issue.
MeitY has recommended that YouTube add a “news not verified” disclaimer to “fake news channels.”
Furthermore, the IT Ministry has requested that major social media platforms with over five million members submit action plans within ten days detailing how they intend to combat fake news and unlawful content.
Earlier this month, YouTube responded to a notice from the IT Ministry, warning that it must remove any child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or face severe consequences. YouTube emphasized its “zero-tolerance policy” regarding CSAM and related content, stating that no content that endangers minors is acceptable on their platform.
A spokesperson for YouTube informed IANS that they have made significant investments in technology and teams to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation online, swiftly removing such content as soon as possible.
Telegram, the encrypted messaging platform also called upon by the IT Ministry, reaffirmed its commitment to upholding legal and ethical standards on its platform. Telegram specifically addressed issues related to Child Pornography (CP), CSAM, Rape, and Gang Rape (RGR) content on the Indian internet. The platform maintains a “zero-tolerance policy towards any unlawful activities conducted by users on our platform,” according to a statement from Telegram.
