Government Prohibits OTT Services Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix Due to Explicit Content
In a significant move to enforce digital content regulations, the Indian government has ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block 25 Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, including Ullu, ALTT, and Desiflix, for streaming obscene and pornographic content as of July 23, 2025.
The crackdown targets platforms accused of airing content that often includes sexual innuendos, explicit nudity, and vulgar scenes, violating various laws such as Section 67 and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
This decision follows consultations with several government bodies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Legal Affairs, industry bodies such as FICCI and CII, and experts on women's and child rights.
Concerns were raised over these platforms hosting "soft pornographic" or sexually explicit material disguised as erotic web series, which lacked meaningful storylines or social context and improperly depicted nudity and sex even within sensitive relationships like families. The move also aims to curb the easy accessibility of such content, particularly to minors, thereby reinforcing stricter boundaries in India’s digital content space.
Prior to this, in March 2025, a similar crackdown was executed when the government banned 19 websites, 10 apps, and 57 social media handles linked to 18 OTT platforms for obscene content, indicating ongoing regulatory vigilance on digital content.
The latest action represents a significant enforcement step to regulate OTT content under existing IT and obscenity laws by blocking access to platforms failing to adhere to these norms. The Indian government has requested the Director (DS-II), Department of Telecommunications, to help ISPs comply with the directive to disable or remove access to the 25 OTT platforms within India.
The Supreme Court of India has previously responded to a petition calling for a ban on sexually explicit content on OTT and social media in April, stating, "It's not our domain, you do something," indicating the need for executive action. The Solicitor General of India has also indicated that existing regulations and further measures are under consideration.
This action underscores the Indian government's commitment to enforcing digital content regulations and ensuring adherence to the laws in the country. The action is taken to comply with Indian legal and cultural standards.
Technology plays a crucial role in this recent enforcement, as the Indian government orders Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block 25 OTT platforms due to explicit content violations. This decision aims to curb the easy accessibility of such content, especially for minors, thereby reinforcing stricter boundaries in India's digital content space, highlighting the importance of technology in regulating online content.
