The government intervenes on eighteen OTT platforms to stop “obscene” content

Two OTT apps have over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store, while one app had over 1 crore downloads

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has blocked 18 OTT sites that disseminate “obscene,” “vulgar,” and occasionally “pornographic content” by working with a number of intermediaries. An official statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced on Thursday that 19 websites, 10 applications (seven on the Google Play Store and three on the Apple App Store), and 57 social media profiles linked to these platforms have been made inaccessible to the general public in India.

Anurag Singh Thakur, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has underlined time and time again how platforms should refrain from spreading abuse, vulgarity, and obscenity under the pretense of “creative expression.” According to the announcement, Thakur said on March 12 that 18 OTT sites that were hosting pornographic and obscene content had been removed.

The statement went on to say that the latest decision was made in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, after consulting with specialists in the fields of media and entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights, as well as other ministries of the Indian government.

It was discovered that a sizable percentage of the content hosted on these platforms was pornographic, rude, and denigrated women. It showed nudity and sexual behaviors in a variety of unsuitable settings, including incestuous familial relationships and relationships between teachers and students. The statement also stated that “the content contained sexual innuendos and, in some cases, extended passages of explicit and pornographic scenes that had no thematic or societal significance.”

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The announcement stated that Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 292 of the IPC, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 have all been found to be prima facie in breach of the content.

Two OTT apps have over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store, while one app had over 1 crore downloads. Furthermore, these over-the-top platforms heavily employ social media to provide teasers, particular scenes, and external links with the intention of drawing viewers to their websites and applications. It stated that the affected OTT platforms’ social media accounts collectively have over 32 lakh followers.

According to the statement, the Ministry of I&B regularly holds seminars, webinars, meetings, and other events to raise awareness among OTT platforms and the self-regulatory organizations that they have created in accordance with the IT Rules, 2021.

The Indian government is still dedicated to supporting the expansion and advancement of the over-the-top (OTT) sector. According to the release, a number of actions have been made in this regard, such as the creation of the Inaugural OTT Award for Web Series at the 54th International Film Festival of India, partnerships with OTT platforms in the media and entertainment industry, and the implementation of the IT Rules, 2021, which establish a loose regulatory framework with a focus on self-regulation.