India Disables 50 OTT Platforms Over Obscene Content Violations

The Government of India has restricted access to 50 Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms over the past two years due to the display of obscene content. The announcement was made by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr L Murugan in response to a question raised by Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje during a session in the Lok Sabha.

The government cited violations of several laws, including the Information Technology (IT) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. According to Dr Murugan, these actions were taken under the legal and regulatory framework that governs media content in the country after several complaints regarding the platforms were received.

The platforms in question were found to be in violation of Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, which regulate the dissemination of obscene material, as well as Section 294 of the BNS and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. These laws are designed to ensure the protection of societal morals and the dignity of women.

Dr Murugan explained that complaints against digital content providers adhere to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which were notified on 25 February 2021. These rules establish a regulatory framework for digital news publishers and OTT platforms, imposing a Code of Ethics that must be followed.

He stated that Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act grants the government authority to require intermediaries to remove or restrict access to content deemed unlawful. Regular assessments and actions are taken against OTT platforms based on complaints received, maintaining oversight of the digital content landscape in India.

By enforcing these regulations, the government aims to uphold standards in content delivery and address public concerns regarding the portrayal of inappropriate material across digital platforms.