GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 680
TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2026
OBSCENE CONTENT ON OTT PLATFORMS
680 SHRI RAJABHAU PARAG PRAKASH WAJE:
Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state;
(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the increasing availability of
obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit and culturally...
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 680 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2026 OBSCENE CONTENT ON OTT PLATFORMS 680 SHRI RAJABHAU PARAG PRAKASH WAJE:
Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state;
(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the increasing availability of obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit and culturally insensitive content on OTT platforms, social media channels and digital entertainment platforms, as well as use of abusive and derogatory language in certain stand-up comedy programmes;
(b) if so, whether the Government has received complaints from citizens, parents, educational institutions and social organizations regarding the adverse impact of such content on children, youth and Indian cultural values;
(c) the details of action taken by the Government during the last three years against OTT platforms, digital content creators and online programmes found violating existing laws, guidelines or codes of ethics; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to introduce stricter regulations, stronger content monitoring mechanisms, age-verification systems and penal provisions to curb the spread of objectionable content and protect societal and cultural values and if so, the details thereof?ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)
(a) to (d):
Government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media, Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on 25.02.2021 under IT Act, 2000 to put in place an institutional mechanism for publishers of news & current affairs on digital media and publishers of online curated content (OTT Platforms).
Part-III of the rules provides for a Code of Ethics for digital news publishers and publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms). Complaints are addressed under the provisions of the IT Rules, 2021.
Section 79(3)(b) of IT Act, 2000 provides for notification to the intermediaries for removing/disabling access to unlawful content.
Based on complaints, the Government regularly takes action against such intermediaries and OTT platforms. The Government has disabled 50 OTT platforms for public access in India in last two years for displaying obscene content and for violation of Section 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 294 of the BNS, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
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