‘This is wrong…’: Rajeev Shukla on govt decision to ban 25 OTT platforms, websites

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rajeev Shukla has strongly criticised the government’s recent decision to ban 25 OTT platforms and websites, alleging that the move is an attack on freedom of expression.

Shukla claimed that the government’s action is selective and politically motivated, targeting platforms that offer alternative perspectives or criticise government policies. “Dekhiye obscene, vulgar koi cheez ho to usko rokkar aap upaye kijiye.. We are against the way freedom of expression is being attacked and websites and YouTube channels opposing the government are being banned. This is wrong…..uska hum virodh kar rahe hai”, Shukla said.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the government putting a ban on 25 OTT platforms and websites for showing obscene content, Congress MP Rajeev Shukla says, “…We are against the way freedom of expression is being attacked and websites and YouTube channels opposing the government are being… pic.twitter.com/gyNGnWiTim

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has ordered the blocking of 25 over-the-top (OTT) platforms for allegedly publishing obscene, vulgar and, in some cases, pornographic material. The directive was issued on July 23, 2025, in consultation with multiple government departments and civil society stakeholders, according to sources.

The ministry said that much of the content showcased by these platforms involved graphic sexual innuendos, long sequences of nudity and pornographic visuals. “There was hardly any storyline, theme or message in a social context”, it said. Some content was also found to depict inappropriate sexual situations involving family relationships, further aggravating concerns over legality and decency.

A total of 14 mobile applications, 26 websites have been ordered to be disabled by intermediaries under provisions of the IT Act, 2000 and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The government had several rounds of communication with the platforms. In September 2024, all 25 platforms had received official warnings.

Prior to this, in February 2025, the Ministry had issued an advisory urging OTT platforms to comply with India’s obscenity laws and the Code of Ethics prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021. Yet, the platforms allegedly continued to host and stream objectionable content.

In one notable example, the series ‘House Arrest’ hosted on the Ullu platform was taken down in May following the ministry’s intervention. However, the government alleges that certain platforms have continued their operations by creating new domains, even after previous blocking orders. Five such platforms reportedly resumed publishing similar content after being blocked in March 2024.

The latest action was taken in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA), industry associations FICCI and CII, and subject experts in the fields of women and child rights.

Mentioning that previously the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a self-regulatory body headed by a former Supreme Court judge, found that content edited on ALTT was “totally distasteful and bizarre”, with sex and nudity being shown without any contextual justification.

Similarly, over 100 web series were also removed from the Ullu platform, with the council finding that the platform temporarily removed or edited the web series and then uploaded the unedited versions later to circumvent the warnings.

Several of the platforms had previously drawn the attention of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which flagged Ullu and ALTT for alleged violations in July and August 2024. The Ministry also received multiple public grievances about the content hosted on these platforms. (ANI)