Patna: Government of India has blocked five over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms for allegedly hosting obscene and pornographic material, in its latest crackdown on digital content.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the action was taken after an investigation found that the platforms – MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel and Jugnu – were streaming web series and films featuring prolonged nudity, explicit sexual scenes and “highly objectionable” dialogue.
Officials alleged that the programmes lacked “any meaningful storyline or social message” and were designed primarily to promote obscenity. The ministry said such material risked harming children and adolescents and violated standards of public decency.
The ban was imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which empowers the central government to block online content in the interests of national security, public order or decency. The ministry also cited the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, commonly referred to as the Digital Media Ethics Code.
Internet service providers have been instructed to disable access to the platforms. Major telecom operators including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have complied with the order, according to officials.
The ministry said notices had first been issued to the platforms in September 2024. Some allegedly failed to respond, while others were accused of continuing to upload objectionable material after shifting to new domain names. In March 2024, five similar websites and apps were blocked, but later resurfaced under different names, officials said.
In February 2025, the government issued a reminder to OTT platforms to comply with the Digital Media Ethics Code. Authorities now say stricter and more permanent action will follow if violations persist.
The latest move follows a broader clampdown in July 2025, when the government blocked 25 OTT apps and websites, including ALTBalaji and ULLU, after complaints of excessive sexual innuendo and nudity.
Officials said the current decision was taken after consultations with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Electronics and IT and the Ministry of Law, as well as industry bodies and women and child rights experts. According to the ministry, there was broad agreement that the content in question warranted a ban in the interests of society, particularly children.
