India blocks 1,400 plus URLs for spreading misleading and anti-India content

In a significant move, the Indian government has blocked over 1,400 URLs associated with misleading and anti-India content as part of Operation Sindoor. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed this information during a session in the Lok Sabha, indicating that many of the flagged URLs were linked to social media accounts based in Pakistan. The content targeted included false narratives, provocative material concerning the Indian Armed Forces, and posts with communal sensitivities. Authorities discovered that numerous accounts were operating from outside the country and actively disseminating disinformation during the military operation. The blocking of these URLs was executed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which grants the government the authority to restrict online content to maintain national sovereignty, security, and public order. Alongside the URL blocks, the government urged media outlets not to broadcast live visuals of defense activities and troop movements to protect operational security. To enhance coordination, a 24/7 control room was established, bringing together various military branches and government media representatives. This centralized unit included participants from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Press Information Bureau (PIB), ensuring real-time information was shared with media stakeholders. Moreover, a specialized fact-checking team under the PIB was instrumental in monitoring social media and digital news during the operation. Their mission involved identifying and countering fake images, edited videos, and altered narratives that misrepresented the facts of Operation Sindoor. The team promptly circulated fact-checked reports and debunked claims to combat the spread of misinformation, as stated by the minister in Parliament.