Govt Advises OTT Platforms Against Pak Content; Some Media Portals Withheld on X

The global affairs account of X was blocked and then restored, as was verified on Friday, 9 May. News website The Wire has been reportedly blocked while accounts of online news platforms like Maktoob Media and others continue to be withheld. On 8 May, an advisory was also put out by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on publishing of online content. This comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor by India and the retaliatory cross-border attacks by Pakistan.The government's new advisory has put out directives for "carrying content having its origins in Pakistan" spanning to songs, web-series, podcasts albeit without any further clarification or specifics.Along with Maktoob, BBC Urdu's X account has been blocked and 'Mo of Everything,' a media platform part of the India Today's group also found its account disabled on Instagram. These are the some of the first news media accounts to be blocked ever since the Pahalgam attack took place. However, these are not the first accounts to be banned or to come under fire.Among journalists, X accounts of Anuradha Bhasin, a Kashmiri journalist and Muzamil Jaleel, Deputy Editor, The Indian Express in Delhi, have been withheld in India. Other accounts from Kashmir include the Free Press Kashmir ('FreePressK') and The Kashmiriyat. Additionally, Arpit Sharma, a digital creator's account was also withheld on X.Interestingly, the action against X's global affairs account came barely a day after they posted about getting orders from Indian government to block "over 8,000 accounts" in the country.However, it's important to note that no reason has been officially notified yet behind the accounts being blocked. These media accounts have been reporting on the current conflict since the ghastly Pahalgam terror took place two weeks ago.News organisation The Wire put out a statement on Instagram that their website has been blocked "as per the order of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the IT Act 2000.""We protest this blatant censorship at a critical time for India when sane, truthful, fair and rational voices and sources of news and information are among the biggest assets that India has," read their post.Calling it an assault on press freedom, Aslah Kayyalakkath, Founding Editor of Maktoob Media, stated that their account has been withheld "in response to a legal demand."Meanwhile, condemning the action on Instagram, The Kashmiriyat wrote, "It's hard to put into words. This feels like an erasure — of years of work, of the countless hours we poured into honest, often difficult journalism."Arpit Sharma, on his Instagram story, said, "The result for making videos so hate doesn't spread, result for making videos on people co-existing in harmony, result for giving regular updates against viral fake news is this. This is the result."'Pak Drones, Missiles Attempted to Target Amritsar, Bhuj, 13 Other Places': GovtIn the aftermath of the attack, the Union government had blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels and wrote a formal letter to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) over their use of 'militants' for terrorists.The new government advisory have put out directives for publishers of 'Online Curated Content (OTT platforms), media streaming platforms and intermediaries.In point 5 of the advisory, the government states, in 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 content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect."This also brings into question, several content streaming online, whether it's music such as Coke Studio on Spotify or brands and their content on Instagram and elsewhere.As for the content in India, it also directs to exercise caution for content which "affects the sovereignty and integrity of India," and which "threatens, endangers or jeopardizes the security of the state" among other concerns.Further, in part 3 of the advisory, the government states that intermediaries shall make reasonable efforts, "to not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information that inter-alia threatens the unity integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign states or public order."These are broader terms being used for online content and content/news creation. Notably, the standing committee on information technology branch had put out a memorandum which stated that "some social media influencers and social media platforms seem to be working against the interest of the country which is likely to incite violence."The Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were requested to act on it and ban such platforms under IT Act 2000.Some days ago, Indian government had reportedly blocked access to several popular Pakistani drama channels on YouTube, including ARY Digital, Har Pal Geo, and Hum TV.The crackdown has also extended to social media, wherein multiple Pakistani celebrities found their Instagram accounts inaccessible in India such as Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Iqra Aziz, among others.These developments have come under heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. On 8 May, the government stated that at least 16, including three women and five children, have been killed in cross-border shelling in Jammu and Kashmir after Pakistan continued firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.Modi's Op Sindoor Gets Thumbs up from Israel but 'Sultan' & Arabs on Edge

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Govt Advises OTT Platforms Against Pak Content; More Media Portals Withheld on X

The Wire's website has been blocked on 9 May. Earlier today, X's Global Affairs account was also withheld.

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