In a sweeping move, the Government of India has taken stringent action against a total of 18 Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms, 19 websites, 10 applications, and 57 associated social media handles, all implicated in the dissemination of content deemed obscene, vulgar, and, in some instances, pornographic. This decisive action was orchestrated by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) in collaboration with various intermediaries.Ban Imposed Under IT Act, 2000Under the legal framework provided by the Information Technology Act, 2000, this ban was implemented following extensive consultation with other Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, and domain experts specialising in media and entertainment, womens rights, and child rights, as outlined in an official release by the ministry.List of Banned PlatformsAmong the list of prohibited OTT platforms are Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, Tri Flicks, X Prime, Neon X VIP, Besharams, Hunters, Rabbit, Xtramood, Nuefliks, MoodX, Mojflix, Hot Shots VIP, Fugi, Chikooflix, and Prime Play.Ministry of I&B blocks 18 OTT platforms for obscene and vulgar content after multiple warnings 19 websites, 10 apps, 57 social media handles of OTT platforms blocked nationwide, says the government. pic.twitter.com/03ojj3YEiF— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2024Content Deemed OffensiveThe government highlighted that a significant portion of the content hosted on these platforms was found to be obscene, vulgar, and portrayed women in a demeaning manner. Specifically, it addressed instances where nudity, sexual acts, and suggestive material were depicted, often in inappropriate contexts such as relationships between teachers and students or within incestuous family dynamics.Popularity Despite Objectionable ContentDespite the objectionable nature of the content, these platforms garnered substantial popularity among viewers, with one app amassing over 1 crore downloads and two others exceeding 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store alone. Moreover, these platforms actively utilised social media platforms to promote their content, amassing a collective followership of over 32 lakh users.
