Govt blocked over 36,800 URLs since 2018: IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar tells Parliament

In a written response to CPI(M)’s John Brittas, Rajeev Chandrasekhar mentioned, “The federal government points lawful instructions for blocking for entry of knowledge by public underneath part 69A of the Info Know-how (IT) Act, 2000 which supplies energy to authorities to situation such instructions whether it is mandatory or expedient to take action within the curiosity of sovereignty and integrity, defence of India, safety of the State, pleasant relations with international States or public order or for inciting cognizable offence referring to above.”

What the information exhibits?

The info, shared by Chandrasekhar, revealed figures associated to the blocking of URLs by the federal government since 2018. The info for 2023 was recorded until October.

The federal government blocked the utmost variety of URLs (9,849) in 2020. As per the information, a complete of 2799 URLs had been blocked in 2018, 3635 in 2019, 9849 in 2020, 6118 in 2021, 6935 in 2022 and 7502 in 2023.

With 13,660 URLs blocked, X Corp, previously is aware of as Twitter, noticed the utmost variety of URLs blocked between 2018 and October 2023. Whereas X noticed a gradual and steady enhance within the variety of URLs blocked, different social media platforms — Fb, Instagram and YouTube — didn’t have a transparent pattern.

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Discrepancy in information?

The Ministry of Electronics and Info Know-how reported on Friday that 6,118 URLs had been blocked in 2021. Nevertheless, in an RTI response to SFLC.in in June 2022, the ministry mentioned that 6,096 URLs had been blocked, the Hindustan Occasions reported.

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Equally, the ministry mentioned on Friday instructions had been issued for blocking 6,935 URLs in 2022. Nevertheless, the minister mentioned in Lok Sabha on August 2: “Following the procedures and safeguards prescribed underneath the Info Know-how (Process and Safeguards for Blocking for Entry of Info by Public) Guidelines, 2009, the Central Authorities has issued instructions for blocking of 6096, 6775 and 3470 URLs within the years 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.”

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Printed: 09 Dec 2023, 04:28 PM IST