Government Takes Major Action: 50 OTT Apps Hosting Obscene Content Shut Down

In a fresh move involving strict action, the government has banned 50 OTT apps for hosting obscene content. Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan announced this in the Lok Sabha.

The Government of India has banned 50 OTT apps that were serving obscene content to users. Last year, the government had banned 25 such apps, including platforms like ALT, Ullu, and Desiflix. In February of this year, another 5 apps were banned for displaying obscene content.

According to All India Radio News (News on Air), Union Minister of State for Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan stated in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that 50 apps were disabled due to the display of obscene and objectionable content. The government continuously monitors such apps and takes action when necessary.

Action Taken Due to Objectionable Content

In the written reply provided to the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State explained that action was taken against these apps under the IT (Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The content shown on these 50 banned OTT platforms was found to violate Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. Based on this, the government issued directives to block access to these apps.

However, the government did not disclose the specific names of the 50 banned OTT apps. The government informed the Lok Sabha that, following recent amendments to IT rules, it is mandatory for social media platforms and other intermediaries to remove illegal content and block access to it within three hours of receiving a court order or a notification from the government or its authorized agencies.

Objectionable content was being brazenly displayed on the banned apps. The movies and shows available on these platforms were found to be of an obscene nature. The content displayed on these apps was being used to generate revenue through traffic and subscriptions. The government has directed internet service providers to block public access to these apps. Additionally, instructions have been issued to remove these apps from Google and Apple's app stores or marketplaces.