25 OTT platforms banned by govt for airing obscene, vulgar content

New Delhi: The central government has reportedly blocked at least 25 OTT platforms due to concerns over the presence of obscene and vulgar material. Among the affected platforms are well-known names like Ullu, ALTT, Big Shots, Desiflix, NeonX VIP, and others such as Gulab App, Kangan App, Hulchul App, and MoodX.

Officials indicated that this move was the result of a coordinated decision involving several government bodies, including the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA). Industry groups like FICCI and CII, along with experts in women and child rights, were also said to be consulted during the process.

The platforms in question were allegedly found to be streaming content containing suggestive language and, in some cases, extended scenes of a sexually explicit nature, including nudity. Authorities emphasised that these features rendered the content essentially pornographic.

The officials further explained that, using powers granted under the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021, notifications were sent out to relevant intermediaries to disable access to these services.

"There was hardly any storyline, theme or message in a social context. A large portion of the content was obscene and vulgar. Depiction of nudity and sex in several inappropriate contexts including relationships such as family relationships, etc...Content of the platforms in violation of section 67 of the IT Act, section 292 of the IPC, and section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. Some platforms published sexually explicit content in violation of Section 67A of the IT Act," officials added, according to TNIE.

The government is also reported to have acted following multiple alerts from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in mid-2024. These alerts specifically flagged content on platforms like Ullu and ALTT.

In a related move earlier this year, the streaming platform Ullu had taken down its series ‘House Arrest’ in May 2025, after the Ministry's intervention.

Additionally, officials recalled that an advisory had been issued back in February, urging OTT services to comply with the Code of Ethics under the IT Rules, 2021, as well as existing obscenity laws.

Officials noted that even after a formal communication was sent to all 25 OTT platforms in September, they continued to publish content considered obscene, and in some cases, pornographic.

They also observed that five platforms, which had been previously blocked in March 2024, resumed uploading objectionable material by shifting to new domain names, effectively trying to bypass earlier restrictions.

Authorities cited past interventions by the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a self-regulatory body chaired by a former Supreme Court judge and having membership of about 40 OTT platforms, including ULLU and ALTT.

The Council had reportedly flagged that certain scenes on these platforms were not only tasteless and offensive but appeared to use sex and nudity purely to attract viewers, with no meaningful context or justification.

Officials further added that platforms like ULLU were found using tactics to avoid regulatory scrutiny such as temporarily removing or editing flagged series, only to later re-upload or restore the unedited versions, thereby undermining official warnings and advisories.