New Delhi: The Supreme Court docket of India is about to listen to a public curiosity plea on Monday, April 28, 2025, that seeks a directive to the Centre to ban the streaming of sexually express content material on OTT platforms and social media.
The plea raises issues over the unregulated dissemination of pornographic materials by way of social media pages and profiles, alleging that some OTT content material might even comprise components of kid pornography. It argues that such supplies may hurt younger audiences, promote deviant behaviour, and contribute to an increase in crime charges.
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In response to the courtroom’s trigger checklist, the matter is listed earlier than a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.
The petition proposes the creation of a Nationwide Content material Management Authority to observe, regulate, and forestall the streaming of sexually express materials. It recommends establishing a committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court docket decide, to supervise the certification of content material revealed on OTT and social media platforms, functioning equally to the Central Board of Movie Certification (CBFC) which regulates cinema.
Additional, the plea requests that entry to OTT and social media platforms be quickly restricted till mechanisms are put in place to make sure the whole removing of pornographic content material, particularly to safeguard youngsters and minors.
Moreover, the petition seeks the formation of a panel comprising eminent psychologists and topic specialists, recognised by the Rehabilitation Council of India, to conduct a complete nationwide research. The research would assess the psychological and societal affect of consuming sexually express content material, aiming to guage its broader results on public psychological well being and societal values.
The petitioners have asserted that the simple affordability and widespread penetration of the web has made entry to express materials available to folks of all ages, additional stressing the pressing want for regulatory motion to guard public morality, safeguard susceptible populations, and preserve societal order.
