India blocks 25 OTT platforms for publishing obscene, vulgar content

New Delhi: In a significant crackdown on objectionable digital content, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has ordered the blocking of 25 over-the-top (OTT) platforms for allegedly publishing obscene, vulgar, and in some cases, pornographic material.

The directive, issued on July 23, 2025, was based on consultations with multiple government departments and civil society stakeholders, according to sources.

The platforms in question — which include Ullu, ALTT, Big Shots App, NeonX VIP, and Desiflix, among others — were found to be disseminating content that violated several provisions of Indian law, including Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

In total, 26 websites and 14 mobile applications — nine listed on the Google Play Store and five on the Apple App Store — have been ordered to be disabled by intermediaries under the provisions of the IT Act, 2000, and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

According to sources, the Ministry stated that much of the content showcased by these platforms involved graphic sexual innuendos, extended sequences of nudity, and pornographic visuals. “There was hardly any storyline, theme, or message in a social context,” the Ministry said. Some content was also found to depict inappropriate sexual situations involving family relationships, further aggravating concerns over legality and decency.

The government had engaged in several rounds of communication with the platforms. In September 2024, all 25 were issued official warnings. Prior to that, in February 2025, the Ministry had issued an advisory urging OTT platforms to comply with India’s obscenity laws and the Code of Ethics prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021. However, the platforms allegedly continued to host and stream objectionable content.

In one notable case, the series House Arrest hosted on the Ullu platform was taken down in May following the Ministry’s intervention. However, the government alleges that certain platforms continued operations by creating new domains even after being blocked. Five such platforms reportedly resumed publishing similar content after being blocked in March 2024.

The latest action was taken in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA), industry associations FICCI and CII, and subject-matter experts on women’s and children’s rights.

Previously, the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a self-regulatory body headed by a former Supreme Court judge, found that content on ALTT was “totally distasteful and bizarre,” with sex and nudity shown without any contextual justification.

Similarly, over 100 web series were removed from the Ullu platform. The council observed that Ullu had a pattern of temporarily removing or editing web series to address warnings, only to later re-upload the unedited versions to circumvent restrictions.

Several of these platforms had also drawn the attention of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which flagged Ullu and ALTT for alleged violations in July and August 2024. The Ministry received numerous public complaints regarding the nature of content hosted on these platforms.