India: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced blocking of 43 OTT platforms due to dissemination of fake news, misinformation, and prohibited content

On 30 July 2025, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) announced that 43 over-the-top (OTT) platforms have been blocked due to the dissemination of fake news, misinformation, and prohibited content. Acting under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the MIB cited violations of the Code of Ethics applicable to digital news publishers and online curated content providers. These include the transmission of content prohibited by law, failure to self-classify content by age, and insufficient access controls to restrict content inappropriate for children. The government exercised its powers under Section 69A of the Act to block access to digital content in the interest of sovereignty, defence, and public order, and issued an advisory on 19 February 2025 to ensure compliance.