I&B Ministry
Govt. seeks public view on advertising guidelines
NEW DELHI: The government has sought the views of the general public following a Supreme Court verdict that an Advertisement Code needs to be drawn up to differentiate between advertisements about government messaging and those that are politically motivated and designed to patronise media organization and get favourable media coverage.
In its verdict on 23 April, the apex court set up a three-member committee for this purpose, to be coordinated by Information and Broadcasting Ministry secretary Bimal Julka, which held its first meeting on 5 May. The Committee has been asked to submit its report within three months, and so various stakeholders have been asked to submit their views within four weeks.
The Court wanted substantive guidelines to be laid down until the legislature enacts a law in this regard.
The Court felt that the Advertising Code of the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity did not draw this distinction.
The petitions had been filed by Common Cause and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation.
I&B Ministry
MIB blocks MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro and three other OTT platforms over obscene, sexually explicit content
Platforms streamed material violating IT Act provisions
NATIONAL: India’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry blocked five over-the-top streaming platforms for allegedly hosting obscene and sexually explicit content, marking a fresh escalation in regulatory action against digital services operating outside the country’s content rules, as per media reports.
The platforms, MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel and Jugnu, were found to be streaming material that prima facie violates provisions of the Information Technology Act and rules governing online publishers.
Blocking orders were issued under statutory powers that allow the government to restrict access to online content in the interest of public order and decency. Internet service providers have been directed to disable access to the websites and mobile applications linked to the platforms.
The move forms part of a wider surveillance drive by the ministry targeting lesser-known and unregulated streaming services that allegedly evade self-regulatory obligations applicable to OTT platforms. Officials said the action followed repeated advisories urging compliance with Indian laws, including age-based classification, grievance redressal mechanisms and restrictions on explicit material.
Government sources described the content hosted by the blocked platforms as “highly explicit”, adding that it crossed legal thresholds permitted under Indian law. While large OTT players operate within a three-tier grievance redressal framework introduced in 2021, smaller apps have increasingly drawn scrutiny for distributing adult content without oversight.
The latest action also reflects heightened enforcement against platforms operating through mirror websites, offshore hosting arrangements or opaque ownership structures. Authorities have in recent years stepped up monitoring of online curated content amid concerns around obscenity, misleading promotions and unlawful distribution.
Officials declined to say whether further steps, including probes into operators, payment gateways or production entities, were being considered. However, sources indicated that additional platforms could face similar action if found in breach of the law.
