EGI expresses concern over blocking of URLs, social media handles of news organisations

New Delhi, Apr 29:  The Editors Guild of India (EGI) has written to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, expressing deep concerns about recent directives resulting in the blocking of some URLs as well as social media handles of certain news organisations under the IT Rules 2021 and IT Act 2000.

The most recent case was that of suspension of Bolta Hindustan, a Hindi YouTube news channel. Earlier in the year, the Ministry had issued orders to Caravan magazine and the Wire, to take down certain articles.

In all these cases, there was a shroud of confidentiality regarding the exact nature of complaints as the Ministry did not share such details with the concerned news organisation.

The Guild has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to provide clarity on the rationale behind such actions and ensure transparency in the process as well as to ensure that these laws don't become tools of censorship.