I&B Ministry blocks 18 OTT platforms, 19 websites, 10 apps for obscene and vulgar content

The move is to curb obscene and vulgar content on OTT platforms. The decision was taken under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000

In a decisive move to curb the proliferation of obscene content on Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has blocked 18 OTT platforms and disabled public access to 19 websites, 10 apps (7 on Google Play Store, 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts associated with these platforms.

The action comes after multiple warnings issued by the ministry, an official release said today.

“Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur has repeatedly emphasized the responsibility of the platforms to not propagate obscenity, vulgarity and abuse under the guise of ‘creative expression’,” the release said stating, “On 12th March, 2024, Shri Thakur announced that 18 OTT platforms publishing obscene and vulgar content have been taken down.”

The blocked OTT Platforms:

Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, Tri Flicks, X Prime, Neon X VIP, Besharams, Hunters, Rabbit, Xtramood, Nuefliks and MoodX.

The decision was taken under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 in consultation with other Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, and domain experts specializing in media and entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights.

Nature of Content

A significant portion of the content hosted on these platforms was found to be obscene, vulgar, and portrayed women in a demeaning manner. It depicted nudity and sexual acts in various inappropriate contexts, such as relationships between teachers and students, incestuous family relationships, etc. The content included sexual innuendos and, in some instances, prolonged segments of pornographic and sexually explicit scenes devoid of any thematic or societal relevance.

The content was determined to be prima facie in violation of Section 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 292 of the IPC, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, the official release said.

Significant Viewership

One of the OTT apps amassed more than 1 crore downloads, while two others had over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store. Additionally, these OTT platforms extensively utilized social media to disseminate trailers, specific scenes, and external links aimed at attracting audiences to their websites and apps. The social media accounts of the concerned OTT platforms had a cumulative followership of over 32 lakh users, the official release said.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2014477

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