Govt cracks down on OTT, social media after Ranveer Allahbadia row: ‘We won’t leave a vacuum’

The Indian government has issued a stern advisory to social media platforms and OTT services, directing them to adhere to the Code of Ethics under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, and implement stricter self-regulation. The move follows mounting concerns over explicit content, particularly in light of the controversy surrounding podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia’s remarks on a comedy show, which led to police cases and a Supreme Court rebuke.