You can access the Parliament question from here.
The Union Government has blocked 50 OTT platforms from public access in India over the last two years. The platforms were allegedly hosting obscene content. Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament about the action on July 22.
Responding to a starred question by BJP MP Sambit Patra on the impact of digital addiction among children, Vaishnaw said the platforms were blocked for violating several laws. These included Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology (IT) Act. He also cited Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
The minister said the government acts against unlawful online content under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act. The provision allows authorities to direct intermediaries to remove or restrict access to such content. He also referred to recent amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Under these amendments, intermediaries must remove unlawful content within three hours of receiving a court order or a reasoned direction from the government or its agencies.
Reply focuses on child safety: The statement was part of the government’s reply on measures to address digital addiction among children. Vaishnaw cited the Economic Survey 2025-26, which describes digital addiction as a “serious public health challenge” affecting children and young people. The reply also referred to existing safeguards under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, including parental consent requirements. It mentioned awareness programmes under the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project. The government also referred to CERT-In’s cyber safety campaigns and digital safety initiatives by the Ministry of Education, CBSE and NCERT.
Series of blocking orders: The latest figure marks an increase from previous disclosures by the government. In July 2025, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) blocked 25 OTT platforms over allegations of hosting obscene content. The ministry later ordered the blocking of five more platforms in February 2026. These included MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel and Jugnu. A Parliamentary Standing Committee report released in March 2026 said another 10 to 15 OTT platforms were under examination. It also noted that the government continued to issue blocking orders.
Regulatory debate continues: The same committee also said there was a regulatory gap for online media platforms. The report noted that the ministry was working on broader regulatory measures for online platforms. It also recommended a structured grievance redress mechanism for online and OTT content. The committee suggested integrating Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act with existing civil remedies.
The issue has also reached the Supreme Court. In…
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