Government bans 18 OTT platforms

19 websites, 10 apps, among others, disabled

Govt concerned over demeaning portrayal of women

The government took a decisive action on Thursday, blocking 18 Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms due to the dissemination of obscene and pornographic content, despite previous warnings.

This crackdown, initiated by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), also resulted in the disabling of 19 websites, 10 apps (7 on Google Play Store, 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 associated social media accounts.

Citing provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the government reiterated its stance against promoting obscenity, vulgarity, and abuse under the guise of creative expression. Among the blocked platforms are Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, and several others.

A significant concern highlighted by the government was the demeaning portrayal of women in much of the content on these platforms. Instances of nudity and sexual acts, including inappropriate depictions of relationships such as teachers and students, and incestuous family ties, were cited. The content was criticized for its explicit sexual scenes devoid of thematic or societal relevance.

Additionally, the government revealed staggering download statistics, with one OTT app boasting over 1 crore downloads, while two others exceeded 50 lakh downloads. Moreover, the cumulative followership of the platforms’ social media accounts surpassed 32 lakh users.