Govt bans 25 OTT platforms, including ULLU and ALTT Balaji, over por*ographic content

Government Blocks 25 Websites for Violating Indian Laws, Including Several OTT Platforms

In a major move to regulate online content, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across India to restrict public access to 25 digital platforms. The list includes several OTT apps such as ALTT, ULLU, Desiflix, Boomex, Feneo, and others accused of hosting unlawful and explicit material.

This decisive action follows growing concerns about the unchecked spread of obscene and indecent content online. The government’s directive is grounded in provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 — both of which require platforms to comply with Indian legal and ethical standards.

Authorities have cited violations under:

• Section 67 & 67A of the IT Act, 2000 (related to obscene and sexually explicit content),

• Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (regarding obscene acts and songs),

• and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

The government emphasized that platforms must not promote content that undermines public decency or violates national law, warning of further actions if compliance is not maintained.