In a significant move, 18 Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms in India have been abruptly shut down due to allegations of showcasing excessively pornographic content. Alongside the platforms, 19 websites, 10 apps, and 57 associated social media accounts have also been closed down, as announced by the country's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting last Tuesday.

According to Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, obscenity is considered a punishable offense. Citing this section, the ministry has taken the drastic step of banning these OTT platforms for their creation of obscene content.

The list of banned OTT platforms includes Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, Tri Flicks, X Prime, Neon X VIP, Besharams, Hunters, Rabbit, Xtramood, Nuefliks, MoodX, Mojflix, Hot Shots VIP, Fugi, Chikooflix, and Prime Play.

The Ministry's press release highlighted instances of obscenity, nudity, and derogatory portrayal of women in the content offered by these platforms. Some apps, with over one crore downloads, had a significant presence on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Additionally, their social media accounts boasted a combined user base of over 3.2 million.

Allegations against these platforms ranged from highly indecent content to misrepresentation of teacher-student relationships. Nudity and explicit sexual activity were reportedly prevalent in certain content offerings.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur had previously emphasized the responsibility of platforms to refrain from promoting nudity and indecency. The decision to shut down the contents, made on March 12, 2024, reflects the government's commitment to upholding decency standards in digital media platforms.