In a major crackdown, the Indian government has banned 18 B-grade OTT platforms, such as Dream Files, Xtramood, Nuefliks, MoodX, Mozflix, Voovi, Yessma, Uncut Adda, Trick Flicks, X Prime, Neon X VIP, Fugi, Besharams, Hunters, Rabbit, Hot SHots VIP, Chikooflix, and Prime Play.
These platforms were found guilty of violating the country’s IT rules by airing explicit content, prompting the authorities to take decisive action.
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Despite the ban, many of these platforms have found ways to service by rebranding and launching under new names.
For instance, Dream Files and Voovi have reemerged with different identities, enabling them to circumvent the government’s restrictions and continue their operations. This strategy has become a common practice for adult content platforms aiming to evade the full consequences of regulatory actions while still engaging their audience.
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This ongoing cycle of bans and rebrands underscores the difficulties in regulating digital content. While the government seeks to shield viewers from offensive material, the ability of these platforms to persist under new names show a gap in enforcement. It’s clear that more stringent measures are needed to ensure that these platforms cannot continue to operate undetected.
As the digital landscape is evolving, implementing stronger monitoring systems will be crucial to keep pace with these rapidly changing platforms. Striking a balance between regulating inappropriate content and allowing for a diverse array of digital entertainment is crucial.
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At a time when regional platforms like Aha Video and Hoichoi, or international platforms like Netflix, are struggling in the Indian market, the bigger question is how these B-grade OTT platforms are even surviving with cheap content primarily targeted at young audiences, often using vulgar web series to attract them.
