The Indian government has implemented a comprehensive ban against five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services for disseminating content deemed obscene and in violation of national digital media regulations. The prohibited platforms—MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel, and Jugnu—were officially shut down following an inter-ministerial consultation process.
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting clarified that the regulatory action stems from existing information technology laws rather than an attempt to suppress creative expression. ‘The primary objective of these restrictions is to enforce compliance with established legal frameworks while safeguarding viewers from exposure to harmful or illegal material,’ the ministry stated in an official release. The government emphasized its commitment to maintaining public decency, protecting national interests, and upholding ethical standards across digital journalism platforms.
The decision followed extensive consultations with multiple government entities including the Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development, Electronics and Information Technology, and Law and Justice. Industry representatives from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), alongside experts in children’s and women’s rights, contributed to the evaluation process.
This enforcement action references India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) rules, which explicitly prohibit content characterized as obscene, pornographic, privacy-invasive, gender-based harassment, racially objectionable, or promoting hate speech and violence. The government noted that intermediaries failing to observe these legal obligations forfeit their immunity under Section 79 of the IT Act, becoming subject to full legal consequences.
The recent ban continues India’s pattern of digital content regulation, following July’s blocking of 25 OTT platforms allegedly distributing vulgar and pornographic media. Officials noted that despite previous warnings, the prohibited services persisted in publishing objectionable content through alternative domains. India’s self-regulatory body, the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council—comprising approximately 40 OTT members—had previously identified several platforms exhibiting ‘distasteful and bizarre’ scenes.