Government Blocks 43 OTT Platforms Over Obscene Content, Cites Violation of IT Rules
- The government has blocked 43 OTT platforms for hosting sexually explicit, violent, or culturally inappropriate content.
- Action taken under IT Rules, 2021 and Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, mandating ethical content and age-based classification.
- Platforms like Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, and 22 others were recently ordered to be taken down by ISPs to curb unlawful content.
In a significant move to regulate digital content, the Government of India has blocked access to 43 over-the-top (OTT) platforms that were allegedly disseminating explicit, violent, or culturally inappropriate content. This was informed by Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The action comes under the framework of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified under the IT Act, 2000. Part III of these rules mandates a Code of Ethics for digital news publishers and OTT platforms. The minister emphasized that OTT platforms must ensure their content does not violate any existing laws and should adhere to ethical and cultural standards.
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“OTT platforms are obligated to self-classify their content based on age and follow the general guidelines outlined in the Rules regarding depictions of nudity, sex, and violence,” Vaishnaw stated. They are also required to implement access controls to restrict children from viewing age-inappropriate content.
The government has invoked Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, which allows it to direct intermediaries to remove or disable unlawful content when notified by the appropriate authority. An advisory has already been issued to OTT platforms and their self-regulatory bodies to ensure full compliance with Indian laws and the Code of Ethics.
In a recent crackdown, the Ministry directed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to disable public access to 25 OTT platforms hosting sexually explicit or unlawful content. This list includes popular names such as Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, and others like Big Shots App, Boomex, Navarasa Lite, Gulab App, Kangan App, Bull App, Jalva App, Hitprime, Feneo, Sol Talkies, NeonX VIP, HotX VIP, MoodX, and Triflicks, among others.
This move signals a tightening grip on digital content in India as the government pushes for greater accountability, ethical content hosting, and protection of cultural sensibilities in the fast-growing OTT ecosystem.
