Government blocks 25 OTT platforms for obscenity
NEW DELHI: In a sweeping crackdown on digital obscenity, the ministry of information and broadcasting has directed internet service providers to block public access to 25 OTT platforms, including Ullu, ALTT and Desiflix, for hosting sexually explicit, obscene, and, in some cases, pornographic content.
The directive, issued on July 23, also covers 26 websites and 14 mobile applications associated with these platforms.
The action follows repeated warnings to these platforms and comes after consultations with the ministries of home affairs, electronics and IT, the department of legal affairs, industry bodies like FICCI and CII, and experts on women and child rights. Sources said the decision was triggered by growing public grievances and the platforms' persistent violation of IT Rules, 2021, and Indian obscenity laws.
Platforms like Ullu and ALTT had been flagged by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in 2024 for content containing sexual innuendo and nudity with little or no narrative context. Ullu had to remove its series House Arrest in May 2025 after govt intervention.
A similar crackdown took place in 2024 when 18 OTT platforms, such as Dreams Films, Rabbit, Hunters, and Prime Play, were blocked.
In many cases, government officials said, the content violated sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 292 of IPC, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
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Former Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar, who heads the 'Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation', lauded the govt for banning the applications and websites, calling it a "digital surgical strike". "We congratulate the Centre for its courageous first step in this dharma yuddha (righteous war) to protect the soul of our nation. This ban is a victory for every Indian family," he said.
Mahurkar added in a statement, "However, this is only the first battle. A one-time ban is not enough. We need systemic legal and technological reforms to permanently safeguard our cultural values and make Digital India a truly value-based and safe space for our children."
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