Govt blocked 1,311 web links under IT Act in 2022: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

The government blocked 1,311 web links under the IT Act in 2022, Parliament was informed on Friday.

Of these, 1,264 links were blocked by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) and 47 links by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the current year.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the Meity is empowered to issue directions for blocking for access of information by public under provision of section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and the rules thereby, namely, the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information for Public) Rules, 2009.

He said that the section 69A provides power to the government to issue directions if it is expedient to do so in the interest of sovereignty and integrity, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for inciting cognizable offence relating to above.

"In line with the objective of the government to ensure an open, safe and trusted and accountable internet for all its users and based on the requests received through designated nodal officers from various nodal officers, MeitY has blocked 1,385, 2,799, 3,635, 9,849, 6,096 and 1,264 URLs during the year 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 (till date) respectively," Chandrasekhar said in a written reply.

He said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has also blocked 22 and 47 URLs during 2021 and 2022 (till date) respectively under the provisions of section 69A of IT Act.