Supreme Court Issues Notice to Centre, Others on Plea Seeking Ban on Sexually Explicit Content on OTT and Social Media Platforms

New Delhi, April 28: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and other concerned authorities on a plea seeking urgent intervention to curb the streaming of sexually explicit content on over-the-top (OTT) platforms and social media networks.

A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih observed that the petition highlighted an important concern that deserves serious consideration. However, the bench also remarked that matters of this nature typically fall within the purview of the executive and legislature. “As it stands, there are already allegations that the judiciary is encroaching upon the domains reserved for the legislature and executive,” Justice Gavai noted during the hearing.

Addressing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared on behalf of the Centre, the bench emphasized that the government must take concrete steps to address the serious issue flagged in the plea. In response, the Solicitor General informed the court that certain regulations are already in place regarding online content, and that additional measures were under active consideration to further strengthen content regulation.

The plea was filed by a group of five petitioners, represented by Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who sought not only the prohibition of sexually explicit material on OTT platforms and social media but also the creation of comprehensive guidelines. The petitioners called for the establishment of a “National Content Control Authority,” a proposed regulatory body tasked with overseeing and regulating online content to ensure it aligns with societal norms and public decency.

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