I&B Ministry Legislation To Regulate Obscene, Violent Content On OTTs Soon

Sources told The Secretariat that an independent legal opinion has been sought to create legislation for introducing a new legal framework to regulate "harmful" content on digital platforms. Once approved by the Ministry, a proposal is likely to be put up before the Union Law and Justice Ministry for formulating the legislation.

The need for a new legal framework to regulate "harmful" content was felt after the issue was repeatedly flagged by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology.

Sources stated the parliamentary panel had expressed growing concern that the constitutional right of "freedom of expression is being misused to showcase obscene and violent content on digital platforms".

A Keenly-Watched Legislation

The industry is keenly watching the proposed move by the government. A 2025 PwC report, “India’s digital advertising surge: Navigating growth in the changing media landscape”, highlights a substantial surge in India's digital advertising, while OTT revenues have increased fourfold since 2019. 

The report stated that India will be the fastest-growing OTT market in the next five years. In 2023, the market grew by 20.09 per cent, reaching Rs 17,496 crore.  It is expected to double by 2028 to reach a value of Rs 35,062 crore, the report added. 

Growing Demand For Regulatory Framework

The government also feels that there is a growing demand for a stricter and effective legal framework to regulate such harmful content. Hence, the need for such a regulatory framework, sources added. Concerns have been expressed on explicit content, misinformation, lack of content classification, and insufficient grievance redress mechanisms. 

It is understood that the I&B Ministry is currently working in tandem with lawyers specialising in internet, content, and online issues to create a legal framework that may stand up to legal and judicial scrutiny.  

Over the past few years, the Supreme Court, several High Courts, MPs, and statutory bodies like the National Commission of Women have spoken on the need for the formulation of a legal framework to regulate harmful content on digital platforms. A recent case in point was the controversial and derogatory comments made by YouTuber and content creator Ranvir Allahabadia on the India's Got Latent show. 

Current Status Of Regulations

Sources pointed out that, unlike print and electronic media, which are covered under specific laws, new media services like OTT platforms or YouTube have no specific regulatory legal framework. This has triggered demands for amending the laws and bringing in a regulatory framework for monitoring the obscene or excessively violent content.

The call to strengthen the legal framework through amendments in existing laws, or by enacting new ones, is likely to be taken up ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, sources added.

Why Earlier Attempts Had Failed

The I&B Ministry had first released the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill in November 2023. The proposed law aimed to bring OTT broadcasting services under regulation. However, the proposal faced major opposition from industry bodies and experts who argued that the bill inaccurately classifies OTT services as broadcasting services, despite the inherent differences between the two.

In 2024, the I&B Ministry had circulated a fresh draft of the Bill to various stakeholders. In the new Bill, there was an increased scope of regulation, bringing digital content creators also within the regulatory purview. However, this proposal also faced pushback from industry bodies and opposition parties.

What The New Law Hopes To Achieve

Through the proposed law, the Central government aims to regulate OTT platforms to ensure accountability, protect consumers and minors, and uphold cultural and legal norms, sources said. The government believes that the law would help establish content guidelines, introduce age-based ratings, and encourage responsible self-regulation while safeguarding public interest and national security.

The proposed legislation hopes to ensure a level playing field between OTT platforms and traditional broadcasters. The government is also aiming to balance creative freedom with social responsibility and legal compliance.