Debate Intensifies Over OTT Streaming Content: Ethics and Regulations

The responsibility for choosing content on OTT platforms rests with viewers themselves, according to RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat. The debate over content regulation intensified, following the Centre's blocking of platforms for explicit content. Public figures call for stricter actions against shows deemed obscene, citing potential harm to children.

On Saturday, RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat emphasized individual responsibility in selecting content to watch on OTT platforms, which offer a wide range of material, including religious content. Dr. Bhagwat stated that viewer discretion is key in choosing entertainment from these digital services.

The call for stricter oversight on streaming content gained momentum in May 2025 when Maharashtra BJP MLC Chitra Wagh demanded a ban on actor Ajaz Khan's web series 'House Arrest', arguing it glorifies obscenity and poses a risk to young audiences. Wagh urged Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take decisive steps against apps distributing such material.

Earlier, in December 2024, the Centre had blocked 18 OTT platforms for disseminating obscene content, a move revealed by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan in the Lok Sabha. Additionally, in April 2025, the Supreme Court identified the streaming of sexually explicit material on digital platforms as an 'important concern', seeking responses on petitions requesting a ban on such content.

(With inputs from agencies.)