Govt to block over 50 OTT platforms in 2 years under IT Act: Here's why

The Indian government has banned access to more than 50 OTT platforms over the past 2 years for violating provisions of the Information Technology Act as it continues to strengthen online safety, digital well-being and child protection measures, ANI reported.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwani Vaishnaw said the government’s policies aim to ensure an “open, safe, trustworthy and responsible internet for its users, including children”.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that recent amendments to the Information Technology (Directors for Intermediaries and Digital Media) Rules 2021 now require social media platforms and other intermediaries to remove illegal content that is judged to be obscene or inappropriate within 3 hours of receiving an order from the relevant government entity.

The letter also highlighted the Digital Privacy Act of 2023 as another step towards a safer internet for its users, which now requires parental consent to process children’s personal data and prohibits practices such as tracking, monitoring and targeted advertising aimed at children.

Digital addiction a serious challenge for public health

Citing the Economic Survey 2025-26, the ministry identified digital addiction as a serious public health challenge, specifically targeting the youth. This is considered serious because it suggests that it affects their cognitive development, well-being, workplace productivity, mental health, financial well-being and academic performance. The government said the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act 2025 is a step to address the issue.

Besides, to boost cyber awareness, the government said it has organized 6,650 Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) workshops attended by more than 11.37 Lakh participants, including teachers, students, police and government officials. She also added that it is incorporating awareness initiatives to promote online safety among teenagers in CERT-In, CBSE and NCERT curricula.