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Tag: OTT App Censorship

  • Govt Cracks Down on ULLU, ALTT & Others for Streaming ‘Explicit’ OTT Content

    According to reports, 25 over-the-top (OTT) platforms and websites—including ALTT, ULLU, Big Shots App, Desiflix, and Boomex—have been blocked by the Centre for allegedly containing pornographic, indecent, and vulgar content.

    OTT Crackdown: What Happened

    According to a Storyboard18 report, under the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021, the government ordered intermediaries to ban or remove access to illegal content. Internet service providers (ISPs) are required by the July 23, 2025, ruling to prohibit 25 OTT platforms and websites that were discovered to be in violation of these regulations.

    Full List of Banned OTT Platforms

    Navarasa Lite, Gulab App, Kangan App, Bull App, Jalva App, Wow Entertainment, Look Entertainment, Hitprime, Feneo, ShowX, Sol Talkies, Adda TV, HotX VIP, Hulchul App, MoodX, NeonX VIP, Fugi, Mojflix, and Triflicks are among the other OTT platforms that have been banned due to repeated legal violations.

    Laws and Sections Violated

    These platforms allegedly broke the following laws, according to MIB: Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986; Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000; and Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

    ISPs have been instructed by the government to prevent the general people in India from accessing these websites. In order to help ISPs ensure complete compliance, the government has also informed the Department of Telecommunications’ Director (DS-II). The government’s ongoing attempts to control online content and uphold legal norms in the digital sphere are reflected in this action. The government has also emphasised that intermediaries will lose their legal immunity under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, if they do not immediately prevent access to or remove illegal content after being notified by the government.

    It also made reference to Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, 2021, which prohibits intermediaries from hosting or publishing content that is illegal, especially content that has an impact on India’s foreign relations, sovereignty, security, public order, or morality or that might amount to defamation, contempt of court, or incitement to crime.

    What This Means for India’s OTT Ecosystem?

    The move coincides with calls by the government to strengthen the laws now governing social media and over-the-top (OTT) platforms in the nation. Following several warnings, the Centre prohibited 18 OTT platforms last year for releasing pornographic, indecent, and vulgar content, including Uncut Adda, Dreams Films, and Prime Play. The Centre is reportedly exploring new rules to reduce pornographic content on the internet, according to a story from a few months ago.

    During a Supreme Court hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by journalist and former Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar, who expressed worries over the unfettered spread of offensive content on OTT and social media platforms, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta made the statement.

    The government at the time stressed the need for more stringent regulation without imposing total control, emphasising that internet platforms have an obligation to respect social norms. After deeming the matter grave, the Supreme Court sent letters to prominent platforms, including Apple, Netflix, Amazon Prime, AltBalaji, Ullu, Google, and Meta.

  • Trai Advocates for OTT App Censorship

    Over-the-top (OTT) communication services like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal are subject to structured control, according to India’s telecom regulator. Law enforcement organisations and telecom providers expressed worries about security and spam control, which prompted this call.

    Speaking on the second day of the India Mobile Congress 2024, Anil Kumar Lahoti, chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), said that although over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms have greatly benefitted businesses and consumers, legal concerns brought up by traditional telecom providers and law enforcement agencies indicate that these platforms ought to be governed by a formal regulatory framework, as per a media report.

    Lahoti underlined that, given the cross-border nature of OTT services, regulators worldwide need to strike a balance between promoting innovation and upholding a just and competitive economy. This equilibrium is essential given the growing power of OTT platforms.

    Challenges in Bringing OTT Communication Platforms Under Regulatory Umbrella

    Sector analysts note that there have been challenges in reducing spam and online frauds on OTT platforms for both the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Trai. Since neither the DoT nor the Trai now have the power to take legal action against potential violators, this issue emphasises the jurisdictional challenges in regulating these platforms.

    Instead, in accordance with the intermediate provisions of the IT Act, these platforms are governed by the Ministry of Electronics & IT. Telecom firms have expressed concern about the rise in spam on over-the-top (OTT) platforms. They contend that because OTT services are not governed by DoT or Trai, efforts to address these problems are still ineffective.

    DoT Opposes Regulating Telegram and WhatsApp

    The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in contrast to Trai’s regulatory drive, stated in August of this year that it has no plans to control over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. This occurred while telecom companies persisted in advocating for the “same-service, same-rule” concept, contending that communication applications need to be subject to the same regulations as conventional telecom services.

    Officials stated that over-the-top (OTT) services are exempt from the new Telecommunications Act of 2023. OTT communication platforms are being interpreted by operators as falling under the Act’s definition of “telecommunication,” yet this interpretation is still up for debate. OTT service providers, on the other hand, argue that they shouldn’t be subject to extra regulation because they are already covered by the IT Act.

    Telecommunications Act 2023

    “Telecommunication” is defined as the sending and receiving of messages via wire, radio, optical, or electromagnetic networks in the Telecommunications Act 2023. According to officials, in order for a service to be included in this definition, message transmission must occur through a switch that is not connected to the network.

    However, with OTT platforms, messages are conveyed via data packets, and telecom firms handle the switching of these packets; customers are already charged for this service. Hence, authorities contend that OTT platforms do not satisfy the technical parameters for Act-mandated regulation.

    Trai to Address OTT App Regulation Separately; Put Satcom Spectrum Framework on Priority
    The chairman of telecom regulator Trai stated on 25 September 2024 that the agency will move quickly to accelerate the pricing of satellite spectrum before addressing the matter of regulating over-the-top apps such as Google Meet, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
    StartupTalkyNitin Konde