OTT platforms in India face a ban due to a sweep of indecency enforcement.
The Indian government has taken a decisive step to regulate digital content spaces, ordering the blocking of access to 25 Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and associated mobile apps. The move comes in response to concerns about the platforms normalising explicit scenes and having weak content moderation.
The ban, which reflects an intensifying focus by lawmakers on regulating digital content, was primarily justified under provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, specifically Sections 67 and 69A, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The Centre also cited sections from the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act as legal grounds for the action.
These statutes empower the government to block access to online content deemed obscene, pornographic, or otherwise objectionable, especially when it violates prescribed content standards or threatens public order and morality. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in consultation with several ministries and expert bodies, issued the blocking orders to Internet Service Providers for disabling public access to these OTT platforms within India.
The ban follows persistent problems with vulgar or sexual content, including scenes involving nudity and sexual innuendos in inappropriate contexts, and the failure of some platforms to comply with earlier warnings and advisories issued under the IT Rules, 2021 and Code of Ethics guidelines. The move was also a response to a Parliamentary Standing Committee report highlighting the urgent need for regulatory action against the proliferation of adult content on OTT platforms.
The platforms identified sharing soft pornographic content include ULLU, ALTT (formerly ALTBalaji), Desiflix, Big Shots App, Boomex, Navarasa Lite, Gulab App, Kangan App, MoodX, NeonX VIP, Mojflix, ShowX, Sol Talkies, Adda TV, Feneo, Hitprime, Bull App, Jalwa App, Wow Entertainment, Look Entertainment, Fugi, and Triflicks.
Elected representatives and advocacy groups have publicly supported the crackdown on OTT platforms. Critics, including women's rights bodies, have welcomed the move, arguing it is long overdue given increasing concerns about the content's impact on youth and social values. The government's action intends to protect minors and uphold social decency standards.
This is not the first time the government has intervened; earlier in 2024, 18 OTT platforms, 19 websites, and multiple app storefronts and social media accounts had already been disabled for hosting similarly objectionable content. Platform owners may face further legal consequences or sanctions under Indian law.
The government's new draft broadcasting bill proposes establishing a central authority to oversee digital content and strengthen grievance mechanisms. The move sends a message: India's evolving digital policy is geared toward ensuring content alignment with national legal standards and social norms. A wave of smaller, niche services has emerged offering more provocative material, but the government's intent to hold digital platforms accountable is clear. ISPs have been instructed to enforce city-wide blocking of the listed services.
The ban raises questions about oversight, creative limits, and the line between adult entertainment and unlawful content. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it is likely that these discussions will continue to be a focus for lawmakers and regulators.
The ban on over-the-top (OTT) platforms, which has been enforced due to concerns about explicit scenes and weak content moderation, also addresses the issue of inappropriate content in the realm of social media. The move aligns with the government's intentions to protect minors and uphold social decency standards, extending beyond entertainment to general-news platforms that may also propagate objectionable content. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the focus on regulating digital content, including platforms that specialize in adult entertainment, is likely to remain a priority for lawmakers and regulators.
