The government bans 25 OTT platforms, including Ullu and ALTT, for violating content laws related to obscene and indecent material under the IT Act and media guidelines.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: On July 25, 2025, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) issued an order instructing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block 25 OTT platforms across India for allegedly streaming content deemed obscene, vulgar, or pornographic. This decision follows repeated warnings and consultations with several ministries and child rights experts.
The decision to block these platforms stems from consistent violations of content norms. Many of them featured shows that bypassed any coherent storyline or meaningful social messaging, instead focusing primarily on sexual visuals, nudity, and explicit material that regulators deemed objectionable.
These programs often contained sexual innuendos and, in some cases, soft porn, portrayed as web series. Some episodes even depicted inappropriate family relationships, raising serious ethical and cultural concerns. The platforms allegedly violated multiple legal provisions, including Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
Furthermore, several platforms had previously been flagged by oversight bodies like the Digital Publisher Content Grievance Council (DPCGC) and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for failing to moderate content appropriately.
List of Banned OTT Platforms
- ALTBalaji (ALTT)
- Ullu
- Big Shots App
- Desiflix
- Boomex
- NeonX VIP
- Navarasa Lite
- Gulab App
- Kangan App
- Bull App
- ShowHit
- Jalva App
- Wow Entertainment
- Look Entertainment
- Hitprime
- Fugi
- Feneo
- ShowX
- Sol Talkies
- Adda TV
- HotX VIP
- Hulchul App
- MoodX
- Triflicks
- Mojflix
Context & Regulatory Background
Legal Framework:
The regulation of digital content is primarily governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, which includes Section 69A, empowering the government to issue blocking orders, and Section 79(3)(b), which removes safe harbor protections for platforms that fail to act on government directives.
In addition, the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, place the primary responsibility of content compliance on OTT platforms, mandating due diligence and grievance redressal mechanisms to prevent objectionable material from being published.
Prior Warnings & Past Action:
As early as September 2024, the government had issued formal warnings to several of these platforms regarding content violations, but many failed to take corrective measures.
Subsequently, in March 2024, the government blocked 18 OTT platforms for similar infractions. However, some of these services re-emerged under new domain names, prompting a renewed round of enforcement in 2025 to curb persistent non-compliance.
The ban has been welcomed by women’s rights groups and political figures. Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena faction) praised the decision as a necessary moral correction. Ekta Kapoor, associated with ALTT, clarified that she and her mother are no longer affiliated with the platform, amid speculation over the ban’s links to her production house.
Click Here to Read More Reports On Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
