India Issues Strict Warning: Remove Obscene Content or Face Legal Action

• MeitY issued an advisory on December 29, 2025, warning online platforms against obscene, pornographic, and unlawful content.
• Social media intermediaries must promptly remove such content to retain safe harbor exemption under IT Act Section 79.
• IT Rules 2021 mandate platforms to prevent hosting of CSAM, sexually explicit material; large platforms must use tech for auto-detection.
• Violations will lead to prosecution under IT Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and loss of safe harbor protection.
• Advisory follows concerns from activists and public regarding increased online obscenity, including AI-generated content, and its link to harassment.

Why It Matters: India mandates strict content moderation, threatening legal action and loss of safe harbor for non-compliant platforms.