WEB DESK
The Editors Guild of India is deeply concerned by the Government of India’s directive to block access to the YouTube channel 4PM News Network on grounds of “national security” or “public order,” without any disclosure of the specific reasons or evidence, and without following principles of natural justice.
This opaque use of executive power, without prior notice or opportunity for response, is in line with a troubling pattern the Guild has flagged earlier—of increasing curbs on free speech through non-transparent processes. Arbitrary takedown orders undermine the fundamental right to freedom of speech.
The blocking of 4PM News Network follows a series of similar actions against Indian media outlets. In February 2025, the website of Vikatan, a respected Tamil news and magazine platform, was blocked after it published a satirical cartoon. The action was taken without warning or due process. Although the Madras High Court later ordered interim relief, the case reflected the government’s growing tendency to suppress journalistic expression through opaque executive orders.
Earlier, in August 2023, the digital news outlet The Kashmir Walla also saw its website and social media accounts blocked without notice, and in April 2022, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting ordered the blocking of 18 Indian YouTube news channels under similar opaque conditions.
The Guild reiterates its demand for a transparent and accountable mechanism for content takedowns, particularly when it concerns journalistic work. National security cannot become a pretext to silence critical voices or independent reporting. PRESS RELEASE