OTT Apps Banned: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has banned 18 OTT (over-the-top) platforms for publishing obscene, vulgar, and, in some cases, pornographic content. The move comes amid growing concerns about the accessibility of explicit material on digital platforms. Here’s a closer look at what this signifies.
Which OTT apps banned in India?
On March 14, Thursday, India Govt. banned several mobile applications (apps) and platforms, including 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, and Prime Play, among others.
Additionally, 19 websites, 10 applications (seven on Google Play Store, three on Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts associated with these platforms were also restricted.
Why these OTT apps banned?
A significant portion of the content hosted on these platforms was found to be obscene and vulgar, portraying women in a demeaning manner.
The government stated that it depicted nudity and sexual acts in various inappropriate contexts, such as relationships between teachers and students, incestuous family relationships, etc.
The decision to ban these OTT platforms was made under the provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
It was taken in consultation with other ministries/departments of the government, as well as domain experts specializing in media and entertainment, women’s, and child rights.
What does this legislation state for?
OTT platforms are regulated by the Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000. Section 67 of the Act prohibits the sharing or publishing of any material in electronic form that is obscene or sexually explicit.
The law also prohibits the sharing of materials depicting children in sexually explicit acts and punishes those involved in such activities.
It also addresses privacy invasion, punishing individuals who capture, publish, or transmit images of a person’s private area without their consent.
The government has previously taken steps to curb access to explicit material on digital platforms.
On October 6 last year, the IT ministry sent notices to social media platforms X, YouTube, and Telegram, asking them to permanently remove obscene content from their platforms.
According to the guidelines of the Information Technology Rules of 2021, significant social media intermediaries are required to use technology-based measures, including automated tools, to not only block obscene, pornographic, and paedophilic content but also to proactively identify any content depicting rape or child sexual abuse in any form.
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