ALTT, Ullu among 25 OTT apps banned for obscene, vulgar content

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting blocks 25 OTT platforms, including Ullu and ALTT, for hosting inappropriate content despite prior warnings

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Wednesday directed the blocking of websites and apps of 25 OTT (over-the-top) platforms, including Balaji Telefilms' ALTT and ULLU, for hosting obscene, vulgar, and, in some cases, pornographic content, according to its statement.

 

Using provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021, notifications were issued to various intermediaries to ensure that access to the concerned websites and apps is disabled, the statement added. Content available on 26 websites and 14 applications (nine on the Google Play Store and five on the Apple App Store) has been blocked. The list of blocked streaming platforms includes 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, ALTT, HotX VIP, Hulchul App, MoodX, Triflicks, Ullu, and Mojflix.

   

As per MIB, communications were issued in September 2024 to all of these 25 platforms; however, it claims that the platforms continued to publish obscene, and in some cases, pornographic content. Business Standard could not reach out to all the banned streaming platforms for their views. ALTT did not respond to an email query sent by Business Standard.

 

This decision was made after consultations with various government and industry bodies, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Women and Child Development of India (MWCD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA), and industry bodies like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), along with experts in women’s and children’s rights. This comes at a time when there has been growing concern about such content being easily available on streaming platforms, with a lack of proper guidelines or regulations around it. 

 

According to the statement released by MIB, references were received from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in July and August 2024 regarding platforms like Ullu and ALTT, and multiple public grievances were noted against these platforms.

 

Ankur Bhasin, secretary of the Media and Entertainment Association of India, told Business Standard that there is a possibility of guidelines being set up for OTT platforms’ content in India. While there are certain regulations regarding advertisements targeted towards children, a similar initiative needs to be implemented for streaming platforms, especially for children’s content.

 

“The entire expansion of OTT platforms was based on content and better expression to viewers. While there is a feeling that some regulation is needed for streaming platforms’ content, these regulations should not limit creativity but rather regulate the content available to the public,” said Bhasin.

 

Another media industry expert, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that larger or national OTT platforms have begun self-regulating their content, especially for religious and political topics.

 

“Any depiction that degrades or objectifies women through media is grounds to ban platforms, especially for the obscene portrayal of women,” said Gaurav Sahay, founding partner of Arthashastra Legal. “The law criminalises the distribution or performance of obscene content or acts in public places, and by extension, digital media does not escape public morality standards. Freedom of speech and expression is not an absolute right and is subject to reasonable restrictions.”

 

He added, “Platforms risk blocking if content is deemed to violate these laws. In effect, laws are reshaping OTT freedom with stricter oversight, elevated compliance costs, and narrowing of permissible creative boundaries in India’s digital streaming space.”

 

Sahay further noted that OTT platforms are mandated to exercise diligence, remove unlawful content, follow a code of ethics, implement grievance redressal mechanisms, and enforce age-based content classification.

 

“As per initial reports, it appears that the OTT channels have been banned under Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, 2000, Section 292 of the (erstwhile) Indian Penal Code, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986,” said Vikram Jeet Singh, partner at BTG Advaya. “While these sections criminalise the publication or uploading of obscene content, the power to ban or order takedown of offending material online is governed by Section 69A of the IT Act, read with the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking Access to Information by the Public) Rules, 2009. This is important since the government has, in the past, relied upon Section 79 of the IT Act while ordering content takedowns; a move that is currently being challenged by X (formerly Twitter) before the Bengaluru High Court.”