Latest news with #IndecentRepresentationofWomen(Prohibition)Act
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Move is appreciated: Kangana Ranaut after crackdown on OTT platforms
Bollywood actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has supported the Centre's ban on OTT platforms in the country. Speaking to ANI, the Emergency star said that the move was crucial to protect the country's young people and was issued in the public interest. '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.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Big Shots, Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, Mojflix and 20 other OTT apps banned: What government's 'ban order' says
Government has banned public access to over OTT platforms including Ullu, ALTT and Desiflix, reports news agency ANI. The banned apps and websites were found in violation of various laws, including Section 67 and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The report quotes an unnamed source who said 'There was hardly any storyline, theme or message in a social context'. According to the agency report, the action was taken in consultation with MHA, MWCD, MeitY, Department of Legal Affairs, industry bodies FICCI and CII, along with experts in women's and child rights. The report says that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has directed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to disable public access for publishing obscene, vulgar and pornographic content. In its official notification, the ministry emphasised that the intermediaries are responsible for removing or disabling access to unlawful information under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. What Section 67 and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 says The Section 67 and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 deal with the publication and transmission of obscene and sexually implicit content in electronic form. The key difference is that Section 67 applies to general obscenity, while Section 67A deals with more graphic, sexually explicit material. The punishments under Section 67A are more severe due to the nature of the content. Section 67 of the IT Act punishes the online publication or transmission of obscene or vulgar material that could deprave or corrupt readers, with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh for the first offence, and up to five years in jail and Rs 10 lakh fine for repeat offences. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Section 67A, on the other hand, deals specifically with material that contains sexually explicit acts or conduct, with stricter penalties—up to five years in jail and Rs 10 lakh fine for the first offence, and up to seven years imprisonment and Rs 10 lakh fine for subsequent offences. OTT apps banned by government As per ANI report, 26 websites and 14 apps have been banned by the government. Names in the list of banned OTT platforms include ALTT ULLU Big Shots App Desiflix Boomex Navarasa Lite Gulab App Kangan App Bull App Jalva App Wow Entertainment Look Entertainment Hitprime Feneo ShowX Sol Talkies Adda TV HotX VIP Hulchul App MoodX NeonX VIP Fugi Mojflix Triflicks
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Govt blocks 25 OTT platforms for streaming obscene, vulgar content
ANI The government has ordered the blocking of 25 Over the Top (OTT) platforms for airing obscene content, the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry said on Friday. The platforms including Ullu, Gulab, Hulchul, MoodX, and Mojflix, among others, have 'obscene, vulgar and in some cases pornographic content', the ministry said in a statement. The action to disable 26 websites and 14 apps have been taken in consultation with the ministries of home affairs, electronics and IT, and women and child development, and will be enforced through the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021. The government finally cracked the whip on the 25 platforms after the I&B ministry had warned all of them back in September last year. Meanwhile, five platforms blocked earlier in March 2024, started publishing obscene content on new website domains, the ministry said. "There was hardly any storyline, theme or message in a social context. A large portion of the content was obscene and vulgar," the statement read. Content on these platforms have fallen foul of multiple sections of IT Act, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. "While these sections criminalise the publication and uploading of obscene content, the power to ban or order takedown of offending material online is governed by Section 69A of the IT Act read with Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009," Vikram Jeet Singh, partner at law firm BTG Advaya, said. Singh pointed out this was important, since the government has in the past relied upon Section 79 of the IT Act while ordering content takedowns. In May, the web series 'House Arrest' had been taken down by Ullu after intervention by the I&B inmistry. Ullu had been censured earlier by the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council, when over 100 web-series were asked to be removed. But after removing them, the OTT had re-uploaded the unedited versions, the ministry said. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can Chyawanprash save Dabur in the age of Shark-Tank startups? Piaggio sues former employee for 'Coldplay' reference on CEO Why Air India could loom large on its biggest rival IndiGo's Q1 results Can medicines inject the vitamins Amazon is missing? How India's oil arbitrage has hit the European sanctions wall Stock Radar: Bajaj Finance breaks out from falling supply trendline; likely to hit fresh highs above Rs 1,000 Weekly Top Picks: These stocks scored 10 on 10 on Stock Reports Plus These large- and mid-cap stocks can give more than 25% return in 1 year, according to analysts For investors with patience & cash: 6 large-caps with strong balance sheets & big TAM; and an upside potential of more than 24%
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Govt blocks 25 OTT platforms for streaming obscene, vulgar content
The government has ordered the blocking of 25 Over the Top (OTT) platforms for airing obscene content, the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry said on Friday. The platforms including Ullu, Gulab, Hulchul, MoodX, and Mojflix, among others, have 'obscene, vulgar and in some cases pornographic content', the ministry said in a action to disable 26 websites and 14 apps have been taken in consultation with the ministries of home affairs, electronics and IT, and women and child development, and will be enforced through the Information Technology Act , 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021. The government finally cracked the whip on the 25 platforms after the I&B ministry had warned all of them back in September last year. Meanwhile, five platforms blocked earlier in March 2024, started publishing obscene content on new website domains, the ministry said."There was hardly any storyline, theme or message in a social context. A large portion of the content was obscene and vulgar," the statement on these platforms have fallen foul of multiple sections of IT Act, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986."While these sections criminalise the publication and uploading of obscene content, the power to ban or order takedown of offending material online is governed by Section 69A of the IT Act read with Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009," Vikram Jeet Singh, partner at law firm BTG Advaya, said. Singh pointed out this was important, since the government has in the past relied upon Section 79 of the IT Act while ordering content May, the web series 'House Arrest' had been taken down by Ullu after intervention by the I&B inmistry. Ullu had been censured earlier by the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council, when over 100 web-series were asked to be removed. But after removing them, the OTT had re-uploaded the unedited versions, the ministry said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ALTT, once a ₹1,209 crore asset for Balaji, now among platforms blocked by MIB
Balaji Telefilms' streaming platform, ALTT, valued at ₹1,209 crore, faces a government ban along with 24 other OTT platforms due to alleged violations of Indian laws concerning obscenity and indecent representation of women. This action follows the IT Rules, 2021, impacting ALTT's future after strategic shifts to a hybrid SVOD/AVOD model and significant investment by Balaji Telefilms. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Once valued at ₹1,209 crore, ALTT , the digital streaming platform from Balaji Telefilms , has been included in a list of 25 OTT platforms blocked by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) following alleged content July 23, 2025, the MIB directed internet service providers across India to restrict access to these platforms, citing alleged violations of Indian laws related to obscenity and the indecent representation of action was taken under Section 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000; Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. The directive falls under the IT Rules, 2021, which mandate adherence to a Code of Ethics and compliance with takedown in 2017 as ALT Balaji, ALTT was Balaji Telefilms ' entry into the direct-to-consumer streaming space. It is one of the more recognised names in the list, which includes platforms such as ULLU, Desiflix, Big Shots App, and Wow to Balaji's FY24 annual report, the company invested ₹795 crore in ALTT and extended loans worth ₹103 crore, including interest. A valuation by a Big 4 firm placed ALTT's enterprise value at ₹1,209 crore, a 32% premium over its carrying cost, attributed to recent strategic shifts, including cost optimisation and cash burn shareholders in Balaji Telefilms include Ektaa Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, and Reliance Industries In the Q4 FY24 earnings call, CEO Sanjay Dwivedi said films would be the company's main growth driver over the next 2.5 to 3 years, followed by digital and then television. 'We view content holistically—across TV, digital, motion pictures, and our B2C platforms like YouTube, Meta, and our own app,' he part of its digital pivot, Balaji moved ALTT from a subscription-only model to a hybrid SVOD and ad-supported (AVOD) framework. 'Relying solely on SVOD has been a financial drag,' said Dwivedi. 'Our app now operates on both ad-supported and subscription-based models.'This shift helped reduce ALTT's cash burn from ₹120–145 crore annually to around ₹35 lakh per month. The platform now has over 2 million active users and added 3.29 lakh subscriptions in Q4, including 1.73 lakh renewals. However, Dwivedi indicated that ALTT would now represent a smaller piece of the company's broader digital FY25, ALTT launched 46 new shows and generated ₹20.26 crore in subscription revenue. The platform sold 10.6 lakh subscriptions, with content being viewed for over 5.8 million hours and generating 160 million views. ALTT currently hosts more than 172 regulatory action comes at a time of increasing oversight of India's digital content space. The IT Rules, 2021, continue to shape operational frameworks for streaming platforms, placing greater emphasis on the year, Balaji also merged ALT Digital Media Entertainment and Marinating Films into the parent company, a move aimed at streamlining operations, reducing redundancies, and achieving tax happens next for ALTT remains unclear. While the company has taken steps to restructure and reposition its digital business, the platform's immediate future will depend on the regulatory process and how the situation evolves.
