Three YouTube channels together having nearly 33 lakh subscribers and their videos watched over 30 crore times have been found to be spreading fake news about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and key institutions, the Centre said on Tuesday.
An official statement said three YouTube channels – News Headlines, Sarkari Update and Aaj Tak Live – were using thumbnails and images of TV news channels and their news anchors to mislead viewers into believing that the news shared by them was authentic.
"These channels were also found to be displaying advertisements on their videos, and monetising misinformation on YouTube," it said.
The Fact Check unit of the Press Information Bureau said these YouTube channels spread false and sensational claims about the Supreme Court of India, chief justice of India, government schemes, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and farm loan waivers among others.
They also made claims about the government giving money to people who have opened bank accounts, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards.