Overview

• On July 25, internet service providers disabled access to 25 OTT websites and apps under official orders issued on July 23.
• The affected services include Ullu, ALTT (ALTBalaji), Desiflix, Big Shots App and 21 others accused of hosting erotically explicit content under the guise of web series.
• Authorities found serial violations of Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women Act.
• The crackdown followed multi-agency consultations with the ministries of information and broadcasting, home affairs and electronics and IT, the department of legal affairs and industry bodies FICCI and CII.
• Past warnings by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and a February advisory under the IT Rules failed to deter platforms that repeatedly altered or re-uploaded prohibited content.