New Delhi: The Central government has banned 18 OTT platforms and associated social media accounts for publishing obscene, vulgar, and in some instances, pornographic content.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that 18 OTT platforms, 19 websites, 10 apps (seven on Google Play Store, three on Apple App Store), and 57 linked social media accounts have been rendered inaccessible to the public in India.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur emphasized the responsibility of the platforms to not propagate obscenity, vulgarity, and abuse under the guise of 'creative expression.
Ministry of I&B blocks 18 OTT platforms for obscene and vulgar content after multiple warnings; 19 websites, 10 apps, 57 social media handles of OTT platforms blocked nationwide. @PIB_India @MIB_India pic.twitter.com/5TGrQu5wrn — DD News (@DDNewslive) March 14, 2024
According to a statement, the decision to act against the OTT platforms was taken under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, in consultation with other ministries/departments of the Government, and domain experts specializing in media and entertainment, women's rights, and child rights. (Also Read: Moto G Power 5G (2024), Moto G 5G (2024) With Android 14 Launched; Check Price, Specs)
In the release, the I&B ministry said that “one of the OTT apps amassed more than 1 crore downloads, while two others had over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store. Additionally, these OTT platforms extensively utilized social media to disseminate trailers, specific scenes, and external links aimed at attracting audiences to their websites and apps. The social media accounts of the concerned OTT platforms had a cumulative followership of over 32 lakh users.” (Also Read: Tech Showdown: Nothing Phone (2a) Vs Realme 12 Pro 5G; Battle for Best Buy in Rs 25,000 Segment)
List Of Apps Blocked Today By Government:
Dreams Films, Chikooflix, Prime Play, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, Tri Flicks, X Prime, Neon (With inputs from PTI).