Pornography in India is restricted and illegal in all form including print media, electronic media, and digital media (OTT).[1][2] Hosting, displaying, uploading, modifying, publishing, transmitting, storing, updating or sharing pornography is illegal in India.[3][4]
India's Supreme Court said, OTT regulation is a necessity as some OTT's are even showing nudity, obscenity and even porn, because of the absence of any proper rules and regulation.[5][6]
On 22 August 2023, Government of India assured that it will bring rules and regulation to check vulgar and obscene content on social media and OTT platforms.[7][8][9]
On 10 November 2023, MIB India introduces the 'Broadcasting Service Regulation Bill', Which will regulate the content of OTT platforms with programme code and content evaluation committee, who will check the content and provide the certificate for every content before publishing online. Currently consultation is ongoing on this bill till 15 January 2024.[10][11]
On 14 March 2024, MIB India has banned 18 OTT apps from Google play store and suspended their all 57 social media accounts including Facebook ID, Instagram ID, YouTube channel etc. and closed 19 streaming websites. I&B ministry said that, these OTT platforms were making vulgar and obscene content with nudity and unethical storyline. And some of them were showing even Softporn and porn as a webseries, and they all were violating the IT Rules 2021, IT Act section 292, 293, section 67 A and Indecent representation of women (prohibition) act. The banned platform were MoodX, Prime Play, Hunters, Besharams, Rabbit movies, Voovi, Fugi, Mojflix, Chikooflix, Nuefliks, Xtramood, Neon X VIP, X Prime, Tri Flicks, Uncut Adda, Dreams Films, Hot Shots VIP, Yessma.[12][13][14]
- ^ Raj, Sony J.; Menon, Devadas (December 2023). "Porn Tube sites: How do gratifications, interactivity and contextual age predict usage and addiction in India?". Science Talks. 8: 100272. doi:10.1016/j.sctalk.2023.100272. ISSN 2772-5693.
- ^ "OTT platforms have freedom for creativity not obscenity: Anurag Thakur". India Today. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ "IT Act Amendment 2021" (PDF).
- ^ "Explained: Laws Related To Pornography In India". IndiaTimes. 15 September 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "OTT regulations a necessity as some even show porn, says SC". Hindustan Times. 5 March 2021. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "'No teeth': SC wants stricter OTT rules". Hindustan Times. 6 March 2021. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Centre To Bring Rules To Check Vulgar Content On Social Media And OTT Platforms". English Jagran. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ "Centre To Bring Rules To Check Vulgar Content On Social Media, Streaming Platforms". NDTV.com. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ Tripathi, Rituraj; Hindi, India TV (22 August 2023). "OTT प्लेटफ़ाॅर्म पर अश्लील काॅन्टेंट परोसने के मुद्दे पर केंद्र सरकार ने कह दी बड़ी बात।(Trans. The Central Government said a big thing on the issue of showing obscene content on the OTT platforms.)". India TV Hindi (in Hindi). Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ "Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Proposes Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Key features of the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023". The Indian Express. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "Government blocks 18 OTT platforms, 10 apps for vulgar content". The Indian Express. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "18 OTT platforms blocked by I&B ministry over vulgar content: Xtramood, Uncut Adda, Besharams…". Hindustan Times. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Government bans 18 OTT platforms, 19 websites, 10 apps and 57 social media accounts for showing obscene and pornographic content". The Times of India. 14 March 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 14 March 2024.