India Blocks 25 Streaming Apps for Allegedly Promoting "Obscene" Content, Affecting Millions of Viewers.

India has ordered the blocking of 25 streaming services, including popular adult and edgy entertainment platforms, for allegedly promoting "obscene" content. The order affects services like Ullu and ALTT, which have millions of viewers and paying subscribers. The Indian government has contacted ISPs and app stores to restrict these services, citing provisions of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021.

India has ordered the blocking of 25 streaming services, including popular adult and edgy entertainment platforms, for allegedly promoting "obscene" content. The order affects services like Ullu and ALTT, which have millions of viewers and paying subscribers. The Indian government has contacted ISPs and app stores to restrict these services, citing provisions of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued directives to block access to websites and apps linked to these 25 streaming services, citing provisions of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021 [1]. The order came months after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology raised concerns about mature content being streamed on these platforms without adequate safeguards [1].

The Indian government contacted internet service providers and app stores, including Google Play and the Apple App Store, to restrict these streaming services [1]. Some of these services, especially the major ones with millions of subscribers, remained live at the time of filing this article. Google and Apple did not respond to requests for comment. The information and broadcasting minister also did not respond to an email sent Friday.

Among the 25 streaming services, 10 offered in-app purchases through their apps on Google Play and the App Store, generating a cumulative $5.7 million since launch with nearly 105 million downloads [1]. The wide gap between in-app purchases and downloads is primarily due to their low subscription costs — significantly lower than Netflix and other global platforms in India.

Notably, some of these streaming services were either never listed on traditional app stores or had been removed earlier, and instead offered their apps as direct APK downloads. As of publication, some of these APK files were still accessible through their websites or third-party platforms [1].

Earlier this month, Indian production company Balaji Telefilms, the parent of ALTT, disclosed that its streaming app generated ₹202.6 million ($2.3 million) in revenue by adding 1.06 million subscribers in 2025. ALTT’s content was watched for more than 5.8 million hours, garnering 160 million annual views [1]. ALTT’s app was no longer available for download through Google Play and the App Store in India, and its website was inaccessible on most Indian ISPs at the time of filing this article.

Ullu, another relatively prominent streaming service named by the Indian government, remained available via its app on the Indian Play Store, and its website was accessible as well. The service’s iOS app, however, was not available for download from the Indian App Store [1]. Ullu Digital, the parent company of Ullu, reported a net profit of ₹212.3 million ($2.5 million) for the financial year 2024, per its regulatory filing reviewed by TechCrunch [1].

This is not the first time the streaming business has seen a crackdown in India. Global platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, often face instances of censorship by the Indian government. However, even stricter actions are seen in cases of obscenity despite a lack of clarity on regulations [1].

References:
[1] https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/25/india-bans-streaming-apps-youve-never-heard-of-but-millions-watch/
[2] https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/mib-directs-blocking-25-ott-platforms-obscene-vulgar-content-125072501429_1.html