Move is appreciated: Kangana Ranaut after crackdown on OTT platforms
'The ban has been imposed to ensure that our culture and the minds of the youth are not corrupted. It is important to see that our society is not headed toward a complete downfall. It was awaited for a long time,' she said.
Kangana also appreciated the step taken against the illegal functioning of the OTT applications. Likewise, actor Ravi Kishan has also welcomed the decision, stating that 'boundaries and limits need to be set.'
According to sources, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered the blocking of 25 over-the-top (OTT) platforms over allegedly publishing obscene, vulgar, and even pornographic material. As a part of it, platforms like Ullu, ALTT, Big Shots App, NeonX VIP, and Desiflix were found disseminating content that directly violated several provisions of Indian law, including Section 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
A total of 14 mobile applications, 26 websites have been ordered to be disabled by intermediaries under provisions of the IT Act, 2000 and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Much of the content showcased on the aforementioned platforms involved graphic sexual innuendos, long sequences of nudity, and pornographic visuals.
ALSO READ: Blocked 18 OTT platforms for publishing obscene, vulgar content: Govt
Some, they believed, also had inappropriate sexual situations involving family relationships, which aggravated concerns over legality and decency. Previously, in September 2024, all 25 platforms received official warnings. The Ministry also issued an advisory, asking the OTT platforms to comply with India's obscenity laws and the Code of Ethics prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
a few seconds ago
- The Hindu
Gujarat approves action plan for Artificial Intelligence implementation in governance
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved the Action Plan for Implementation of Artificial Intelligence [AI] (2025–2030), setting the stage for the integration of AI into Gujarat's governance framework over the next five years. The plan aims to improve service delivery, strengthen administrative processes, and apply AI tools in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and finance. This move aligns with the broader goals of Viksit Gujarat@2047 and the national mission of Viksit Bharat@2047, officials said. Prepared by the Department of Science and Technology based on recommendations from a 10-member AI Taskforce Committee, the plan will serve as a roadmap to equip government departments with AI systems and capabilities. It also supports the Centre's broader objective, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to expand the use of artificial intelligence in public policy, administration, and digital infrastructure. The State's action plan focuses on six major areas: building a secure and regulation-compliant data ecosystem; expanding GPU and cloud-based digital infrastructure, including setting up AI factories in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities; training 2.5 lakh individuals—students, MSMEs, and government officials—in AI, machine learning, and related technologies; promoting research and partnerships between academia and industry for building practical government-use AI models; supporting DeepTech startups with incubation, mentorship, and funding; and ensuring safe and responsible AI through audit systems, guidelines, and risk protocols. Implementation will be carried out in phases, starting with the creation of a State-level AI data repository, setting up AI development facilities, and launching pilot projects in selected departments. To oversee the entire effort, the Government will establish a dedicated AI and Deep Tech Mission. This institutional mechanism will lead the design, planning, and monitoring of AI projects while facilitating collaboration between academic institutions, industry players, and startups. Gujarat has already taken steps to strengthen its AI foundation, including the launch of an AI Centre of Excellence at GIFT City, the organisation of AI training programmes for public officials, and the issuance of an Expression of Interest for developing Indian language-based AI models. The state has also conducted an AI Innovation Challenge to encourage practical solutions.
India.com
31 minutes ago
- India.com
No Entry For GM Crops, Says New Delhi; India-US Trade Talks Hit A Sacred Wall
New Delhi: Genetically modified (GM) crops will not be crossing India's borders anytime soon, no matter how urgently the United States knocks. As trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington enter a crucial phase, insiders say one red line is not up for discussion. 'There are things that are not about negotiation. Some things are a matter of principle,' said a senior official close to the development. That principle, sources say, is GM corn and soy. While American negotiators have made agricultural access a central demand, pressing India for a wider entry gate for U.S. farm goods, New Delhi is not blinking, especially on GM imports. Over the years, the issue has mutated from a mere trade disagreement into a symbolic fight over sovereignty, food safety and grassroots politics. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has repeatedly flagged India's restrictions on GM products, calling them 'non-tariff barriers'. But Indian authorities remain unmoved, largely because of the hardline stance taken by domestic groups closely aligned with the ruling establishment. Last month, the message from Sangh affiliates was if America insists on forcing GM crops into the Indian market, there may be no trade deal at all. Carried in Business Standard, that warning echoed the sentiments of influential groups such as the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), which have long opposed agricultural concessions to Washington, particularly in sectors like dairy and GM crops. Their argument? Food security. The BKS has often warned that allowing U.S. crops into India, especially without clear labelling or transparency, could sabotage domestic farming ecosystems and compromise health safety standards. On the other hand, the SJM sees this as a direct attack on economic self-reliance. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. U.S. officials have privately hinted at the urgency of the moment, pointing to a deadline set by President Donald Trump, who is seeking a revival of his trade agenda. Trump has marked August 1 as a red-letter day. If no interim deal is inked by then, India could be hit with reciprocal tariffs, potentially as high as 26 percent. Indian trade negotiators are not indifferent to that pressure. But according to officials involved in the process, the sixth round of talks will only happen in the second half of August after Trump's deadline expires. Any hope for a short-term resolution seems, at best, unrealistic. As one official put it, 'We are not looking at compromise in areas that touch the lives of millions.' In other words, GM corn is off the table. And perhaps, so is the deal, at least for now.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
RRU helps set tune in martial music's Indian homecoming
1 2 3 Ahmedabad: The next time you see the armed forces on a parade ground, chances are high that you might hear 'Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja,' the anthem of the Indian National Army, instead of 'Colonel Bogey March' from 1914. Marking a cultural shift, the armed forces bands in 2022 embraced 'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo' during the Beating Retreat ceremony at Kartavya Path instead of the traditional 'Abide with Me'. Aiming to take the initiative further is the newly inaugurated School of NCC and Police Martial Music Band (SNPMMB) at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU). At the RRU school, officials aim to train the state police and central armed police forces (CAPFs) in newly created Indian tunes and compose new ones to 'Indianize martial music. ' This is the first such school in a university setting in the country. Until now, bands in uniformed services were traditionally trained at special colleges and training schools. Senior RRU officials say the inspiration is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to make the music of India 'not merely entertainment, but a vehicle for expression, connection, and identity'. The initiatives started in 2016 with the use of Indian tunes on major occasions, they added. Major (Retd) Ashok Kumar, principal of the school and former director of music at the Joint Services Training Institute, AEC Training College & Centre, Pachmarhi — which trains musicians for the armed forces — says that military bands are traditionally taught tunes that have been part of military tradition for over a century. "We have over 200 such tunes which are used for different functions and ceremonies. In the past decade or so, Indian experts have been creating several notations and tunes that are rooted in our culture. Our aim would be to both create new tunes for the bands of CAPF and police forces and to teach the newly created Indian tunes to these bands," says Major Kumar. Some examples of such tunes include 'Veer Bharat' and 'Amar Senani', composed by Indian military musicians. These are now played regularly at various state and armed forces events. 'INS Vikrant,' 'Veer Bharat,' 'Desh Pukare,' 'Vayu Shakti,' 'Hindustan,' and 'Priyadarshini' are some more examples that reflect a rich Indian voice. Renjith G, senior instructor at SNPMMB, says the school is attempting to go a step further and create Indian raga and taal-based music in a global musical language. "Our initiative is to create original Indian tunes rooted in the country's rich musical heritage and legacy," he adds. Dr Gaurav Singh Kushwah, in-charge director of the school, calls Indianizing martial music tradition in India a major initiative. "Our aim is to teach Indian tunes primarily to CAPF and state police bands. We aim to provide trained musicians to security forces who will learn the Indian tunes and notations," he says. The first batch of 40 musicians from Rajasthan Police Central Band is already being trained at the university. RRU officials say that the courses are designed both for in-service musicians and aspiring candidates at multiple levels – from diploma to PhD. Students will be taught Indian and Western musical systems, orchestration, band drill protocols, ceremonial etiquette, and theoretical training. The first initiative for the overhaul will be the formation of the National Music Classification Forum that will attempt to find Indian alternatives for Western bugle calls like Reveille, Last Post, and Retreat.
