Anurag Thakur I&B Minister Blocks 18 OTT Platforms Due to Vulgar Content

The I&B Ministry blocks 18 OTT platforms due to Vulgar Content. View Entire List
Nineteen websites, ten apps (seven on the Google Play Store and one on the Apple App Store), and fifty-seven related social media profiles have been disabled in India as a result of the action.

Anurag Thakur on Block of OTT Platform

Citing the spread of vulgar and indecent content, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has worked with several intermediaries to prohibit eighteen over-the-top (OTT) platforms. This action is in response to Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, who reaffirmed that these platforms must abstain from endorsing vulgarity and mistreatment while posing as venues for creative expression.

19 websites, 10 applications (seven on the Google Play store and three on the App Store), and 57 related social media profiles in India have been disabled as a result of the move, which was initially disclosed by Thakur on March 12. This choice was carried out in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, after discussions with pertinent Indian government ministries and departments as well as subject-matter experts in the fields of media, entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights.

Which Platforms Have Been Blocked?

Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, and other platforms that were discovered to offer content with nudity, sexual actions, and disparaging portrayals of women are among the ones that have been blocked.

Here’s the full list:

Themes including teacher-student interactions and incestuous family ties were incorporated in such content, which violated 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.

Large Volume of Downloads

Notably, two of the OTT apps had more than 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store, and one app had more than 1 crore downloads. These platforms made considerable use of social media to promote themselves; between them, they have over 32 lakh followers on Facebook, Instagram, X (the old Twitter), and YouTube.

The IT Rules, 2021 established self-regulatory organizations for OTT platforms, and the Ministry of I&B has been actively interacting with them through a variety of sensitization initiatives, such as webinars, workshops, and meetings. The government is nevertheless dedicated to fostering the expansion of the OTT sector.

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This commitment is demonstrated by initiatives like the establishment of the inaugural OTT Award for Web Series at the 54th International Film Festival of India and partnerships with OTT platforms. The IT Rules, 2021 also establish a regulatory framework that is light-touch and emphasizes self-regulation.