Centre Bans 18 OTT Platforms Over Obscene Content: Major Crackdown on Vulgarity in Digital Media

In a significant regulatory action, the Indian government has banned multiple over-the-top (OTT) platforms for allegedly streaming obscene, sexually explicit, and vulgar content disguised as “erotic web series.”

The move, spearheaded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in close coordination with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), is part of a broader effort to uphold digital decency standards and protect minors from inappropriate material.

Key Platforms Banned

Prominent platforms impacted by this crackdown include:

• ULLU

• ALTT (formerly ALTBalaji)

• Desiflix

• Big Shots

• Boomex

• Navarasa Lite

• Gulab App, among others.

These platforms were found to violate India’s Information Technology (IT) Rules and obscenity laws, following numerous public complaints and internal reviews. Authorities said the content on these sites amounted to what could be classified as “soft porn” and was widely accessible, posing risks especially to younger audiences.

Scope of the Ban

According to the official statement by the I&B Ministry, the government has:

• Blocked 18 OTT platforms

• Disabled access to 19 associated websites

• Removed 10 mobile applications (7 from the Google Play Store and 3 from the Apple App Store)

• Deactivated 57 related social media accounts

All digital avenues used by these platforms to publish or promote explicit content have been rendered inaccessible to the Indian public.

Ministerial Response

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, who has been a vocal critic of unregulated content in the OTT space, reiterated that while creative freedom is important, it must not become a cover for propagating vulgarity, obscenity, or abuse.

“Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to spread filth. OTT platforms must act responsibly and ensure that they do not misuse their creative liberty,” the minister had stated in previous interactions.

He emphasized that the government will continue to act against platforms that deliberately exploit legal loopholes to push morally questionable content.

A Step Toward Responsible Digital Culture

This move marks one of the strongest regulatory actions taken by the Indian government against the growing trend of erotic and adult web content on streaming services. While it has drawn support from many sections of society concerned about media ethics and child safety, it has also triggered debates over censorship versus creative freedom in India’s digital ecosystem.

Industry insiders suggest this may prompt OTT platforms to re-evaluate their content strategies, especially as the government continues to reinforce IT compliance frameworks and ethical broadcasting norms.

#OTTBan #IndiaDigitalCleanUp #ULLUBanned #ALTBalaji #Desiflix #BigShotsApp #ObscenityLaws #MeitY #IBMinistry #AnuragThakur #StopSoftPorn #ChildOnlineSafety #DigitalDecency #OTTRegulation #ContentCensorship #WebSeriesCrackdown #BharatiyaSanskriti #ITRulesIndia #OnlineVulgarity #CreativeFreedomVsObscenity #MediaAccountability