In a major crackdown on obscene and unlawful content, the government has directed Internet Service Providers to block public access to 25 OTT platforms, including Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, and several lesser-known apps like Big Shots, Boomex, Gulab App, MoodX, and Triflicks. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), citing the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the 2021 IT Rules, stated the move targets content that is sexually explicit and violates Indian legal and cultural norms.
These platforms were found to be in breach of Section 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. MIB has also asked the Department of Telecommunications to ensure ISP compliance. “MIB has also intimated to the Director (DS-II), Department of Telecommunications, with a request to facilitate compliance by the ISPs,” media reports said.
The move comes after the Supreme Court, in April, heard a petition seeking a ban on sexually explicit content on OTT and social media platforms. The bench said, “It's not our domain, you do something,” indicating that the matter lies with the executive. The Solicitor General had then pointed to existing regulations and ongoing efforts to strengthen enforcement.
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