‘Deeply concerned’: Editors Guild on Centre’s order to block ‘4 PM News’ YouTube channel

Expressing concern about the Union government ordering the blocking of the digital news outlet 4 PM’s YouTube channel, the Editors Guild of India on Thursday demanded a “transparent and accountable mechanism” for the takedown of journalistic content.

The press association said that it was “deeply concerned” by the government’s directive to block access to 4PM News’ YouTube channel on grounds of national security or public order “without any disclosure of the specific reasons or evidence, and without following principles of natural justice”.

“National security cannot become a pretext to silence critical voices or independent reporting,” it added.

On Tuesday, YouTube said that the channel of 4 PM News was “unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order”.

The YouTube channel had about 7.3 million subscribers. It was not clear what led the government to order the blocking of the channel.

Sanjay Sharma, the editor-in-chief of 4 PM News, claimed that the ban was an attempt to “crush a strong voice of democracy in the name of national security”.

The channel had uploaded several videos criticising the Narendra Modi-led Union government after the Pahalgam terror attack, Newslaundry reported.

‘Increasing curbs on free speech’

On Thursday, the Editors Guild described the government order to block the YouTube channel as an “opaque use of executive power”. The blocking was in line with a “troubling pattern the...

Read more