SC notice to Centre, others on plea to ban sexually explicit content on OTT, social media platforms

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea seeking a direction to take appropriate steps to prohibit streaming of sexually explicit content on OTT and social media platforms. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih said the petition raises an important concern and the issue was within the domain of the executive or the legislature. "As it is, there are allegations that we are encroaching upon the legislature and executive power," Justice Gavai said.

The bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that the government should do something about the issue raised in the plea. Mehta said some regulations in this regard were in existence while some more were in contemplation. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain appeared for the petitioners. The top court was hearing a plea filed by five petitioners who have also sought guidelines constituting a National Content Control Authority to prohibit sexually explicit content on OTT and social media platforms.