New Delhi: The government disclosed on Wednesday that 25 OTT platforms were banned in 2025 for streaming inappropriate content.
Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, said in the Lok Sabha.
The government’s policies aim to ensure a safe, accountable, and trustworthy internet for all users, including women and children, the minister further said. Prasada reiterated the government’s commitment to keeping the online space free from unlawful content, particularly material that could incite violence against women or exploit minors.
Under the IT Rules, 2021, intermediaries that fail to comply with their legal obligations risk losing their exemption from third-party liability under Section 79 of the IT Act, making them subject to prosecution under applicable laws, according to an official statement.
On December 29, 2025, the Ministry issued an advisory directing intermediaries to adhere strictly to statutory due diligence under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Platforms were instructed to prevent hosting, publishing, transmitting, sharing, or uploading vulgar, obscene, pornographic, or otherwise unlawful content.
The advisory also called for an immediate review of internal compliance frameworks, content moderation practices, and user enforcement mechanisms to ensure ongoing adherence to legal requirements.
The Ministry highlighted concerns over the creation and dissemination of non-consensual intimate imagery on some social media platforms, which were ordered to halt such services immediately. Compliance with these directives has been noted since then.
