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Hindustan Times
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
How OTT platforms skirted warnings against ‘pornographic' content; now ALTT, Ullu, Hulchul among 25 banned
The government stressed how OTT platforms, 25 of which have now been blocked over 'obscene' and 'pornographic' content, ignored or circumvented warnings issued months ago. OTT platforms and apps in both English and local languages have boomed over the past few years as mobile data gets cheaper and cheaper in India.(Pixabay/Representative image) It cited the removal of over 100 web series from the platform Ullu. 'While the platform removes or edits the web series for a temporary period, it either re-uploads or publishes the unedited version after a certain period, thereby attempting to circumvent the warnings,' said sources in the union ministry for information and broadcasting. Also read | Govt bans ULLU, ALTBalaji, 23 other OTT platforms Among earlier interventions was the takedown of the series 'House Arrest' by Ullu in May this year. Before this, in February, an advisory was issued to OTT platform 'to adhere to Code of Ethics prescribed under IT Rules 2021 and laws related to obscenity in India', sources said. 'Five platforms which were blocked earlier in March 2024 started publishing obscene content on new website domains,' the source added. Also last year, in September, the 25 platforms now banned 'continued to publish obscene, in some cases pornographic content" and 'ignored warnings'. Action was also taken by the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a self-regulatory body headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court, of which 40 OTT platforms, including ALTT and Ullu, are members. It had found some of the scenes in an ALTT series to be 'totally distasteful and bizarre, where sex and nudity was shown without any contextual justification just to augment viewership'. About Ullu and ALTT, in particular, the National Commission on Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had approached the government in July and August 2024, it is learnt. The government has thus banned 26 websites and 14 mobile apps belonging to the 25 OTT platforms. The banned platforms include: Big Shots Desiflix Boomex NeonX VIP Navarasa Lite Gulab Kangan Bull ShowHit Jalva Wow Entertainment Look Entertainment Hitprime Fugi Feneo ShowX Sol Talkies Adda TV HotX VIP MoodX Triflicks Mojflix Hulchul ALTT Ullu The ministry found their content included sexual innuendos 'and in some cases long portions of sexually explicit scenes, thereby being pornographic in nature', HT has learnt. The ban now has come under a number of laws, including the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. The matter had reached even the Supreme Court earlier this year in a public-interest plea, and notices were issued to Netflix, Amazon Prime, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, too, besides Ullu, ALTT and others. But eventually the court said the issue had to be dealt with by the executive or the legislature. "It's not our domain, you do something," the court told the government.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hania Aamir, Shahid Afridi among Pakistani stars blocked again after social media ‘glitch' in India
Pakistani celebrities once again disappeared from Indian social media feeds after their accounts were briefly unblocked due to what officials are calling a 'technical glitch.' Instagram and X profiles of big names like Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Shahid Afridi became briefly visible to Indian users on Wednesday, sparking confusion and speculation. However, by Thursday morning, the ban was back in place. A pop-up on Instagram now reads: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.' What happened during the 'tech glitch'? On July 2, Indian users suddenly found they could access Instagram and YouTube content from multiple Pakistani stars and entertainment channels. These included the Instagram profiles of Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, along with YouTube channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo. This visibility lasted only a few hours. Why were the Pakistani accounts banned? The ban on Pakistani media accounts came after India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The military strike was a response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, where 25 people were killed, including 24 Indian tourists. After the operation, several Pakistani artists made public statements criticising India's actions. This led to widespread backlash on Indian social media. Thereafter, the government directed OTT platforms and digital intermediaries to remove Pakistani content under the IT Rules 2021. AICWA demands a permanent ban The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly opposed the brief reappearance of Pakistani profiles. In an open letter to Prime Minister Modi, AICWA called it an insult to India's martyrs. Their demands included: A total digital blackout of all Pakistani content A permanent ban on collaborations involving Pakistani artists A cultural disconnect as tribute to the armed forces AICWA pointed to attacks like Pulwama, Uri, and 26/11 to justify their stance, calling Pakistan a 'terrorist nation.' What happens now? For now, Pakistani profiles are once again hidden from Indian audiences. But the sudden glitch has raised fresh questions around how these bans are enforced and whether more permanent safeguards need to be in place.
