The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has taken action against 18 over-the-top (OTT) platforms for hosting inappropriate content, as announced by I&B Minister Anurag Singh Thakur.

A total of 19 websites, 10 apps (7 on Google Play Store, 3 on Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts linked to these platforms have been blocked for public access in India.

The decision to block these platforms was made under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The Ministry collaborated with other government departments and domain experts from media and entertainment, women's rights, and child rights sectors.

Among the 18 OTT platforms are Dreams Films, Voovi, Yessma, and others. The Ministry identified their content as potentially violating various legal provisions including Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 292 of the IPC, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

The Ministry highlighted that one of the OTT apps had over 10 million downloads, while two others had over 5 million downloads on the Google Play Store. Additionally, the social media accounts associated with these platforms amassed over 3.2 million followers.

Govt Cracks Down on 18 OTT Apps for 'Vulgar and Obscene' Content