The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has enforced a ban on 18 OTT platforms along with 19 websites, 10 apps, and 57 social media accounts for disseminating obscene and pornographic content. Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, these platforms were found to be publishing content that was deemed vulgar and inappropriate. This decision, made in consultation with various government departments and domain experts, underscores the responsibility of platforms to uphold standards of decency and avoid the propagation of obscenity in the name of creative expression.
The banned content, hosted on these platforms, often depicted nudity, sexual acts, and portrayed women in a demeaning manner. Instances included inappropriate themes like teacher-student relationships and incestuous family dynamics. The content featured sexual innuendos and explicit scenes lacking thematic or societal relevance, violating standards of decency and potentially harmful to viewers.