DIGITAL NEWS GURU NATIONAL DESK :-
Central Government bans 18 OTT Platforms, 19 Websites, 10 Apps And 57 Social Media for vulgar and adult content: Here is complete list!
In a bid to curb access to vulgar and pornographic content on the internet,The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting under the central government of India has issued an order to major internet service providers in India to ban access of 19 websites, 10 apps and 57 social media accounts serving vulgar content to internet users in India.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) today blocked 18 OTT platforms that have been airing content deemed obscene, vulgar, and, in some cases, pornographic. The government has also banned 19 websites, 10 apps (7 on Google Play Store, 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts linked to these platforms.
HERE’S WHY CENTRAL GOVT BANNED OTT PLATFORMS:
The ban on these OTT platforms is attributed to the prima facie violation of Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
Anurag Thakur has announced that:
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur has repeatedly emphasised the responsibility of the platforms to not propagate obscenity, vulgarity and abuse under the guise of ‘creative expression’.
On March 12, Thakur announced that 18 OTT platforms publishing obscene and vulgar content had been taken down, the release said. The statement further added that the recent decision was taken under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, in consultation with other ministries of the Government of India, and domain experts specialising in media and entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights.
Nature of content banned:
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, while explaining the reason for this ban on OTT platforms, noted, “A significant portion of the content hosted on these platforms was found to be obscene, vulgar and portrayed women in a demeaning manner. It depicted nudity and sexual acts in various inappropriate contexts, such as relationships between teachers and students, incestuous family relationships, etc.
“The content included sexual innuendos and, in some instances, prolonged segments of pornographic and sexually explicit scenes devoid of any thematic or societal relevance..” the I&B Ministry wrote.
The Ministry of I&B consistently conducts sensitization efforts with OTT platforms and their self-regulatory bodies established under the IT Rules, 2021 through meetings, webinars, workshops, etc. The government, in a release, said that it remains committed to fostering the growth and development of the OTT industry.
Several measures have been undertaken in this regard, including the introduction of the Inaugural OTT Award for Web Series at the 54th International Film Festival of India, collaboration with OTT platforms in the media and entertainment sector, and the establishment of a light touch regulatory framework with an emphasis on self-regulation under the IT Rules, 2021.i
These are the platforms blocked by the government:
1. Dreams Films
2. Voovi
3.Yessma
4. Uncut Adda
5. Tri Flicks
6. X Prime
7. Neon X VIP
8. Besharams
9. Hunters
10. Rabbit
11. Xtramood
12. Nuefliks
13. MoodX
14. Mojflix
15. Hot Shots VIP
16.Fugi
17. Chikooflix
18. Prime Play
One of the OTT apps had amassed recorded over 1 crore downloads, while two others had over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store. “Additionally, these OTT platforms extensively utilised social media to disseminate trailers, specific scenes, and external links aimed at attracting audiences to their websites and apps.
The social media accounts…had a cumulative followership of over 32 lakh users,” it said. The social media accounts were on Facebook (12), Instagram (17), X (16), and YouTube (12).
The recent decision was taken under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 in consultation with other Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, and domain experts specializing in media and entertainment, women’s rights, and child rights.
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