In a decisive move, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting under the central government has imposed a ban on 18 Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms for hosting ‘obscene and vulgar’ content, including pornographic material, despite repeated warnings. The ban comes in the wake of prima facie violations of various sections of Indian laws, including the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code.
The banned platforms include:
- Dreams Films
- Voovi
- Yessma
- Uncut Adda
- Tri Flicks
- X Prime
- Neon X VIP
- Besharams
- Hunters
- Rabbit
- Xtramood
- Nuefliks
- MoodX
- Mojflix
- Hot Shots VIP
- Fugi
- Chikooflix
- Prime Play
The Ministry expressed grave concerns over the content hosted by these platforms, stating that a significant portion was found to be obscene, vulgar, and demeaning towards women. The content depicted nudity, sexual acts, and sexual innuendos in various inappropriate contexts, such as relationships between teachers and students, and incestuous family relationships.
Moreover, the government highlighted the sheer scale of these banned platforms. One of the apps had accumulated over 1 crore downloads, while two others had over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store alone. Additionally, the social media handles associated with these platforms boasted a cumulative followership of over 32 lakh users.
In response to the ban, the Ministry stated, “Such content not only violates the laws of the land but also poses a significant threat to societal norms and values. It is imperative to regulate and curb the dissemination of such content to protect the moral fabric of our society.”
The Ministry has also taken strict action against associated websites, apps, and social media accounts, blocking access to 19 websites, 10 apps, and 57 social media accounts to prevent public access in India. This decisive action underscores the government’s commitment to upholding decency standards in the digital space and ensuring the protection of societal values.
