---
title: "Govt. blocked over 36,800 URLs since 2018"  
description: "36,838 URLs were blocked between January 2018 and October 2023 under Section 69A of the IT Act."  
author: "Saumya Mishra"  
published: 2023-12-11  
updated: 2023-12-11  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/3607/govt-blocked-over-36-800-urls-since-2018  
category: "technology"  
tags: ["url", "government", "it"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Govt. blocked over 36,800 URLs since 2018

- **36,838 URLs were blocked between January 2018 and October 2023 under Section 69A of the IT Act.**
- **Twitter sees the highest number of blocked URLs (13,660), followed by Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.**
- **Discrepancies exist in data provided by the Ministry regarding blocked URLs.**

The Ministry of [Electronics and Information](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/45175/who-is-the-current-minister-of-law-and-justice-and-minister-of-electronics-and-information-technology-ministry-of-india) Technology **(MeitY)** has blocked 36,838 URLs between January 2018 and October 2023, as per a statement by Minister of State **Rajeev Chandrasekhar**. This figure reveals the extensive use of [URL](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/334156/url-mapping-demystified-strategies-for-one-to-one-one-to-many-and-many-to-one) blocking by the government under **Section 69A** of the IT Act.

## Breakdown by Platform:

Twitter (formerly X): 13,660 URLs blocked

Facebook: 10,862 URLs blocked

Instagram: 8,868 URLs blocked

YouTube: 3,448 URLs blocked

## Discrepancies in Data:

While MeitY has provided data on blocked URLs, inconsistencies have been found:

2021: Reportedly, 6,118 URLs were blocked, while an RTI response revealed 6,096.

2022: MeitY reported 6,935 blocked URLs, contradicting two [Lok Sabha](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/354/countdown-begins-lok-sabha-elections-2019) responses stating 6,775.

2019: Initially reported 3,635 blocked URLs, later revised to 3,655.

2017: Reported 1,329 blocked URLs in 2018, later revised to 1,385 in 2019.

## Additional Concerns:

The data does not clarify if apps are included in the list of blocked URLs.

Blocking orders issued by judicial courts and the Ministry of Information and [Broadcasting](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/44903/who-is-the-minister-of-textiles-minister-of-information-and-broadcasting) are not reflected in the [data](https://www.mindstick.com/category/article/data-structure).

The number of blocked URLs doesn't reveal the actual extent of blocking, as blocking an entire website and blocking a single article are counted equally.

![Govt. blocked over 36,800 URLs since 2018](https://www.mindstick.com/usernews/655071/0f507b6e-27e6-408b-b6ea-eddd5b5b36d6/images/8a313cb6-3127-470c-a8ef-94bd5002f0be.jpg)

**[Transparency](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/336962/how-blockchain-technology-be-applied-to-improve-transparency-in-industries) and Accountability:**

These discrepancies and [limitations](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/121/what-are-the-benefits-and-limitations-of-using-hidden-fields) [raise questions](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/45290/can-members-raise-questions-on-the-address-by-the-president) about transparency and accountability in URL-blocking practices. Providing clearer and more [comprehensive](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/23461/a-comprehensive-guide-on-luggage-bags-and-cases) data is crucial for public [understanding](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12918/cat-5e-vs-cat-6a-understanding-the-major-differences) and ensuring responsible use of this powerful tool.

---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/3607/govt-blocked-over-36-800-urls-since-2018

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