India Blocks 43 OTT Platforms for Obscene Content

The Government of India disabled access to 43 over-the-top (OTT) platforms on December 17, 2025, for displaying obscene content. Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan announced the action during a session of the Lok Sabha, stating that platforms are obligated to avoid transmitting content prohibited by law.

Minister Murugan clarified that streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar, fall outside the jurisdiction of the Central Board of Film Certification. While the board serves as the statutory authority for certifying theatrical films under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, OTT content is instead governed by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Under these rules, platforms must adhere to a Code of Ethics and implement age-based content classifications. The regulatory framework utilizes a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism: initial self-regulation by the publishers, followed by self-regulating bodies, and final oversight by the central government. Grievances are first forwarded to the platforms for action under the first level of self-regulation.