The actions taken by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in 2024 and 2025 blocked 43 OTT platforms, which were found guilty of broadcasting obscene and inappropriate content.
The Government of India has taken several significant actions on over-the-top (OTT) platforms in recent years to stop obscene, inappropriate and illegal content on the internet. In the same vein, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Friday took action on several prominent OTT platforms under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, 2021. The main objective of these actions is to protect national security, public order, and socio-cultural values.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has banned 25 OTT platforms, their websites, and related apps. This included popular names like Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, Big Shots, Jalva App, and Wow Entertainment. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were directed to block public access to these platforms. According to the government, these platforms were broadcasting obscene and inappropriate content, which was against social values and legal norms. Some platforms were showing soft-porn content, which was in violation of the country’s legal norms.
● Legal Framework and Regulations Information Technology Act, 2000: Section 69A empowers the government to block digital content in the interest of national security, sovereignty, public order, and foreign relations.
● IT Rules, 2021: These rules made it mandatory for OTT platforms and social media platforms to have a process of self-regulation and content monitoring. Platforms have to appoint officers to review content and redress complaints.
● The government is planning to bring in stricter rules for monitoring content on OTT platforms In Future. This may include setting up an independent review body like a censor board.
The Government of India had earlier blocked 45 videos from 10 YouTube channels in September 2022 under the IT Rules, 2021. These videos were found guilty of spreading misinformation, religious hatred, and content harmful to national security.
In June 2023, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a meeting advised OTT platforms such as Netflix, Disney, Amazon, Viacom18, and Apple to independently review content containing obscenity and violence. The aim was to implement a censor board-like process on OTT as well.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had in March 2024 decided to block 18 OTT platforms like Dreams Films, Vuvi, Yesma, Ankat Adda, which were broadcasting obscene, inappropriate, and objectionable content. Under this action, 19 websites, 10 apps (7 on Google Play Store and 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 social media handles were also banned.
These platforms were showing content that violated Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 4 of the Derogatory Representation of Women (Prevention) Act, 1986. This content included teacher-student relationships, adulterous family relations, and derogatory depictions of sexual acts, which were offensive to social values and the modesty of women.