The Central Government has blocked public access in India to 50 OTT platforms over the past two years for displaying obscene content and violating legal provisions, including the Information Technology (IT) Act. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw shared this information in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister stated that this action was taken against intermediaries and OTT platforms that violated Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000; Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS); and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The government has blocked public access in India to 50 OTT platforms over the last two years for displaying obscene content and violating Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 294 of the BNS, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.”
He explained that the government takes action upon receiving complaints and, exercising powers under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, directs intermediaries to remove unlawful content or disable access to it.
Union Minister Vaishnaw stated that the objective of the government’s digital policy is to provide an open, safe, trusted, and accountable internet for all users, especially children. He noted that the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, collectively provide a legal framework that promotes digital well-being, user safety, and responsible online participation.
Ashwini Vaishnaw added that adherence to due diligence is mandatory for intermediaries under the IT Rules. Additionally, they are required to clearly inform their users not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update, or share any content that is harmful to children or violates any law in force in the country.
