ITV

Tag: OBSCENE

  • Govt cracks down on ‘obscene’ OTTs, blocks 25 sites under IT Act

    Govt cracks down on ‘obscene’ OTTs, blocks 25 sites under IT Act

    MUMBAI: The Indian government has turned up the heat on shady OTT platforms. In a sweeping regulatory crackdown, the ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) has ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to 25 websites accused of hosting unlawful and “obscene” content, invoking multiple sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and allied rules.

    The directive, signed by the ministry’s joint secretary and authorised officer acting as nodal officer under digital media law, targets platforms such as Ullu, Altt, Big Shots, MoodX, Mojflix, Hulchul, and Desiflix — notorious for pushing the boundaries of online content. The move expands last year’s clampdown on what the government termed “indecent representation of women” and content harmful to public decency and morality.

    The notification reminds intermediaries that under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, they lose their safe harbour protections if they fail to act swiftly on government orders. Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, 2021, further bars platforms from hosting anything that undermines India’s sovereignty, public order, or morality. Non-compliance, as per Rule 7, invites prosecution under prevailing laws.

    The list of banned apps and sites reads like a roll-call of India’s risqué OTT underbelly: Boomex, Navarasa Lite, Kangan App, Bull App, Feneo, ShowX, HotX VIP, NeonX VIP, Triflicks and more.

    The government cited violations of Section 67 and 67A of the IT Act (which deal with electronic transmission of obscene material), Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (obscene acts and songs), and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

    The MIB has also asked the department of telecommunications (DoT) to ensure ISPs comply. The move is being positioned as part of India’s broader push to clean up its digital content ecosystem and hold digital intermediaries accountable.

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • Supreme Court puts OTT and social media sleaze on notice

    Supreme Court puts OTT and social media sleaze on notice

    MUMBAI:  The supreme court on Monday fired a warning shot across the bows of the government, streaming giants, and social media platforms, flagging the unchecked spread of obscene and sexually explicit content online.

    A bench led by justice B R Gavai and justice Augustine George Masih issued notices to the Centre and a who’s who of Big Tech — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Meta, X Corp, Google, Apple, Ullu, and ALTT — after a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by journalist Uday Mahurkar and others called for urgent curbs on indecent material floating unchecked across digital platforms.

    “This petition raises an important concern,” said justice Gavai, cautioning that the issue was best left to the executive or legislature lest the court be accused of overreach. Nevertheless, he nudged solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, to act: “Do something… something legislative.”

    Mehta did not dispute the concerns, describing some content as so perverted “that even two respectable people cannot sit together and watch,” but stressed that censorship was not an option. He added that regulations under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, were in place — and more were under contemplation.

    The petitioners, represented by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, called for the establishment of a National Content Control Authority to monitor and regulate streaming and social media output until a comprehensive law is enacted. The plea warned that without action, the flood of sexually explicit, paedophilic and perverse material could corrupt young minds, fuel deviant behaviour, and trigger a rise in crimes against women and children.

    “What was once an individual vice has now become a public menace,” the petition thundered, accusing platforms like X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, and Ullu of promoting explicit content without adequate checks.

    While the Supreme Court has not set a timeline for the next hearing, the Centre’s response will be pivotal in shaping how India reins in its booming but increasingly controversial digital content ecosystem. For India’s streaming giants, the party might just be about to face a reality check.

  • AXN issues formal apology to I&B ministry

    AXN issues formal apology to I&B ministry

    MUMBAI: In response to the ban imposed by the ministry of information & broadcasting on the distribution of allegedly “obscene” content on AXN, the channel has officially apologized to the government.

    “We acknowledge that the I&B’s ban of the distribution of AXN in India on 17 January 2007 is based on programmes and advertisements that had been previously exhibited on AXN in India. We understand that the ban imposed by the ministry against AXN is based upon legal procedures contained in India’s Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995,” AXN has admitted.

    AXN has issued a formal apology to the government for its alleged violations of Indian content restrictions. The channel has agreed to put in place a significantly improved and more effective system of self-regulation in order to ensure that programmes and advertisements telecast on it “do not create further problems in the future.”

    AXN is actively cooperating with the government in order to find a resolution to the current situation, an official release said.