New Delhi: The Central government has blocked public access to 50 over the top (OTT) streaming platforms during the past two years after finding them to be hosting obscene and sexually explicit content in violation of Indian laws. The information was placed before the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan shared the details in a written reply to a question raised by Nashik Member of Parliament Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje.
According to the ministry, the action followed complaints received against digital platforms. Authorities examined the complaints and initiated legal action after finding violations under multiple laws governing online content.
The government stated that the blocked platforms violated Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. These provisions prohibit the publication or transmission of obscene and sexually explicit material in electronic form. The platforms were also found to have violated Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with obscene acts and content, along with Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said it regularly reviews complaints relating to digital content. It stated that action follows whenever investigations establish violations of existing laws or regulatory provisions.
The government also referred to Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. This provision empowers the appropriate government authority to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content or disable public access after issuing the required notice.
The ministry reiterated that OTT platforms and digital news publishers operate under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These rules prescribe a Code of Ethics for publishers and provide a three tier grievance redressal mechanism for complaints related to online content.
According to the government, complaints received under this framework are examined and suitable action follows wherever content violates applicable laws or the prescribed Code of Ethics.
While confirming the number of blocked platforms, the government did not disclose their names in its reply to Parliament.
The latest disclosure highlights the government’s continued regulatory oversight of digital streaming services and its emphasis on enforcing legal provisions dealing with obscene and sexually explicit content published through online platforms.
