'735 social media URLs, 596 websites blocked till June'

The government has blocked 735 social media links and 596 websites, including those of groups and sites "engaged in flaring up anti-India sentiments", Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

"In the present year, till June 2017... 735 social media URLs and 596 websites have been blocked, including those of social media networking groups and websites engaged in flaring up anti-India sentiments," Minister of State for Electronics and IT, P P Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

He added that this was based on various Court orders as well as recommendations of an expert committee for blocking URLs/websites.

The minister pointed out that instances of misuse of web/social media in the country have come to the notice of the government from time to time.

He added that such behaviour in the cyberspace is due to the "virtual and borderless nature of technology".

"Law enforcement agencies regularly monitor the web and social media and take appropriate action for blocking of such URLs whenever they notice hosting of objectionable contents as per provision of rules notified under Section 69A of IT Act 2000," he said.