India has taken a significant step in its digital crackdown efforts by ordering the blocking of 25 streaming services for allegedly promoting “obscene” content. These services, including popular platforms like Ullu and ALTT, cater to the mass-market demand for adult and edgy entertainment in the country.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued directives under the Information Technology Act of 2000 and the IT Rules of 2021 to restrict access to websites and apps associated with these streaming services. This action follows concerns raised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology regarding the lack of safeguards for mature content on these platforms.
Internet service providers and app stores, such as Google Play and the Apple App Store, were contacted to implement the restrictions on these streaming services. Despite the ban, some major services with millions of subscribers remained operational at the time of reporting.
According to data from Appfigures, 10 of the banned streaming services offered in-app purchases through Google Play and the App Store, generating a total of $5.7 million in revenue since their launch with over 105 million downloads. These services had lower subscription costs compared to global platforms like Netflix, contributing to the disparity between downloads and in-app purchases.
Some of the banned streaming services were not listed on traditional app stores and instead provided their apps as direct APK downloads. While some of these APK files were still accessible through their websites or third-party platforms, several platforms had their access restricted by ISPs.
One of the affected companies, Balaji Telefilms, disclosed that its streaming app, ALTT, generated revenue of ₹202.6 million ($2.3 million) in 2025, with over 1.06 million subscribers. However, the ALTT app was no longer available for download on Google Play and the App Store in India, and its website was inaccessible on most Indian ISPs.
Another prominent service, Ullu, remained available through its app on the Indian Play Store, with its website accessible as well. Ullu Digital, the parent company of Ullu, reported a net profit of ₹212.3 million ($2.5 million) for the financial year 2024, with a revenue of ₹931.4 million ($11 million).
Despite the ban, these streaming services continued to attract millions of global visits to their websites. Ullu witnessed a 10% year-over-year growth in worldwide traffic, while ALTT recorded over 130% growth. In India, Ullu saw an 18.9% increase in traffic, while ALTT experienced a 157.8% rise.
This crackdown is not the first time the Indian government has targeted streaming platforms for obscenity. Global platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix have also faced censorship issues in the past. However, regulating explicit content remains a challenge, as smaller streaming services often resurface under new names and domains. It is also difficult for intermediaries like Google and Apple to completely block access, as these platforms find alternative channels to reach viewers.
