Government Bans 18 OTT Platforms in India for Promoting Obscene Content: Here's the Full List

In a significant move, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) of India has initiated a crackdown on digital obscenity. A total of 18 Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, known for publishing content deemed obscene, vulgar, and in some cases, pornographic, have been blocked. This action extends to disabling access in India to 19 websites, 10 mobile applications (7 on Google Play Store and 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts linked to these platforms.

Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur has been vocal about the obligation of digital platforms to ensure content does not promote obscenity or vulgarity under the pretense of 'creative expression'. On March 12, 2024, he announced the takedown of these 18 OTT platforms. The decision, made under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, was in consultation with other government ministries, departments, and domain experts in media and entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights.

Platforms and Content in Question

The list of banned OTT platforms includes Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, and several others. The nature of the banned content primarily revolves around obscenity and vulgarity, depicting women in demeaning ways, nudity, and sexual acts in inappropriate contexts like teacher-student relationships and incestuous family dynamics. It also included sexual innuendos and, in some cases, extended pornographic scenes without any thematic or societal relevance.

One app from the list had garnered more than 1 crore downloads, while two others exceeded 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store. These platforms also actively utilized social media to attract audiences, amassing over 32 lakh followers in total.

Here's the full list:

• 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
• Prime Play

Government's Stance on OTT Regulation

The Ministry of I&B has been actively engaging with OTT platforms and their self-regulatory bodies to promote sensitivity through meetings, webinars, and workshops. Despite the crackdown, the government has expressed its commitment to the growth and development of the OTT industry. Initiatives include the introduction of the Inaugural OTT Award for Web Series at the 54th International Film Festival of India, collaborations with OTT platforms in the media and entertainment sector, and establishing a regulation framework emphasizing self-regulation under the IT Rules, 2021.

Through these actions, the Indian government aims to strike a balance between nurturing the digital content ecosystem and maintaining cultural and moral standards in digital content consumption.