Govt bans 25 OTT Apps Including Ullu, ALTT Over Obscene Content; Full List Released

New Delhi, July 26: In a sweeping move to curb the dissemination of sexually explicit and indecent content online, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has issued orders to ban 25 Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and their associated mobile applications. The ban includes popular apps such as Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, and Big Shots, which have come under the scanner for allegedly promoting and distributing soft pornographic content disguised as adult entertainment.

This action comes in response to escalating public concern over the unrestricted access of obscene material to minors and the growing social and psychological impact of such content. According to the ministry, the platforms failed to comply with the content certification norms, age-verification protocols, and self-regulatory measures prescribed under the Information Technology Rules, 2021.

The ban was enforced under emergency provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, invoking Sections 67 and 67A, along with Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. Internet service providers across the country have been directed to block access to both the mobile applications and websites associated with these platforms.

An official statement from the Ministry said the decision was based on detailed inputs from various law enforcement and cyber monitoring agencies that flagged repeated violations by these platforms, including the aggressive promotion of erotic content on social media and third-party app stores. Despite multiple advisories and warnings, these platforms continued to operate outside the legal and ethical boundaries set by India’s regulatory framework.

“These OTT apps were openly circumventing safeguards intended to protect users, particularly the younger population, from exposure to sexually explicit content,” said a senior ministry official. “This step is part of a larger effort to preserve India’s cultural and moral values in the digital space while ensuring accountability among content providers.”

List of Banned OTT Platforms and Their Websites:

The banned platforms have not yet issued official statements, and it is currently unclear whether they intend to challenge the decision legally or comply with the ban. Legal experts suggest the ban sets a precedent in digital content regulation, raising questions about creative freedom versus moral responsibility in India’s rapidly growing OTT sector.

The government has emphasized that while creative expression is encouraged, it must operate within the boundaries of law and public decency, especially when digital platforms are easily accessible to younger audiences.