50 OTT platforms blocked in last 2 years for obscene content: Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi, July 22 (IANS) The government has blocked 50 over-the-top (OTT) platforms from public access in India over the past two years for allegedly displaying obscene content and violating provisions of the Information Technology Act and other legal statutes, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. 

In a written reply, the minister said the action was taken against intermediaries and OTT platforms found to be in violation of Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

“The government has disabled 50 OTT Platforms for public access in India in the 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,” the minister said. 

He said the government acts on complaints and uses powers under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act to notify intermediaries to remove or disable access to unlawful content.

Vaishnaw said the government's digital policies are aimed at ensuring an open, safe, trusted and accountable internet for all users, including children.

He noted that the Information Technology Act, 2000, together with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, provides the legal framework for promoting digital well-being, user safeguards and responsible online participation.

Under the IT Rules, intermediaries are required to exercise due diligence and inform users not to host, upload, publish, transmit or share content that is harmful to children or violates any law in force, he said.

“The IT Rules require that the intermediaries observe due diligence while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is harmful to children or violates any law for the time being in force,” the minister mentioned. 

--IANS

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