The National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking regulatory measures to check obscene content available on various Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms and social media streaming sites, an official said on Monday.

In her letter, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said obscene content can be easily accessed by people of all age groups that has increased the possibility of negative impact on society, particularly on women and children, NewKerala.com reported.

The NCW Chairperson’s letter to Vaishnaw comes close to the National Human Rights Commission’s direction to social media streaming platform YouTube to pull down “obscene and vulgar” content based on remarks of podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia on the controversial show ‘India’s Got Latent’.

Seeking an Action Taken Report within three days, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo wrote to the YouTube’s Head, Public Policy, Mira Chatt, saying that the content in question prima facie appears to be in violation of various legal provisions under Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Information Technology (IT) Act, and other applicable laws.

In her letter, the NCW chief highlighted the violation of multiple legal provisions, including the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Information Technology (IT) Act, among others.

Such content not only perpetuates harmful stereotypes but also poses a direct threat to the safety and dignity of women and children, she wrote.

The NCW has urged the Ministry to take swift action by issuing strict guidelines that prevent platforms from streaming or allowing users to upload inappropriate or obscene content.

The Commission called on the authorities to enforce stringent censorship and content moderation systems to protect the public from exposure to harmful material.

The Commission has also requested that the action taken by the Ministry be communicated to the NCW at the earliest to ensure swift follow-up on the matter.

The Chairperson of NCW has reiterated that ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of women is paramount and must be prioritised across all digital platforms.