I&B Ministry Cracks Down on 18 OTT Platforms for Obscene Content

New Delhi: In a major move, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has blocked 18 OTT platforms for publishing obscene and vulgar content. The action, taken in coordination with intermediaries, also disabled access to 19 websites, 10 apps (7 on Google Play Store and 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts linked to these platforms.

This crackdown follows repeated warnings from Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, who emphasized the responsibility of OTT platforms to avoid content disguised as “creative expression” that promotes obscenity, vulgarity, and abuse. The decision to block the platforms was made under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and involved consultations with other government departments and domain experts in media, entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights.

A significant portion of the content on these platforms was found to be obscene, vulgar, and demeaning towards women. It included inappropriate depictions of nudity, sexual acts, and relationships (e.g., teacher-student, incest). Additionally, the content involved sexual innuendo and, in some cases, explicit pornography lacking thematic or social relevance.

The Ministry determined the content to be a prima facie violation of various laws, including Section 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. Several of the blocked platforms had significant user bases. One OTT app had over 1 crore downloads on the Google Play Store, while two others had over 50 lakh downloads. These platforms also actively used social media to promote their content, garnering over 32 lakh followers across their various accounts.