Indian Court Rules Against Adult Content

MUMBAI, India — The state’s high court has ruled that TV broadcasters must get approval for all programming to guard against the broadcast of violence, profanity and nudity, according to the Associated Press.

The decision amounts to a nationwide ban on adult films and applies to all broadcast, cable and satellite channels.

Under the court order, India’s two largest broadcasters, STAR and Sony networks, must submit their programs to the Indian Board of Film Certification. Only films that obtain a U (unrestricted) or U/A (unrestricted accompanied by an adult) can be shown; those who broadcast unapproved programs will face prosecution.

The order calls for police to monitor Indian TV to ensure compliance with the ruling.

A similar court order issued last December warned cable operators to immediately stop showing movies not appropriate for a general audience.

With the court’s latest decision, movie channels have been blacked out since Aug. 21, and police have conducted raids on cable companies that allegedly continued airing adult programs since December.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Canada Exempts Online Adult Content From 'CanCon' Quotas

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has updated its broadcasting regulatory policies, exempting streaming adult content from “made in Canada” requirements that apply to other online material.

Creator Law Firm 'OnlyFirm' Launches

Entertainment attorney Alex Lonstein has officially launched OnlyFirm.com for creators.

German Court Puts Pornhub, YouPorn 'Network Ban' on Hold

The Administrative Court of Düsseldorf has temporarily blocked the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia (LfM) from forcing telecom providers to cut off access to Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn.

FSC: NC Law Invalidating Model Contracts Takes Effect December 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) announced today that North Carolina's Prevent Exploitation of Women and Minors Act goes into effect on December 1.The announcement follows:

NYC Adult Businesses Seek SCOTUS Appeal in Zoning Case

Attorneys representing a group of New York City adult businesses are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal of a lower court’s decision allowing enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

Ofcom Investigates More Sites in Wake of AV Traffic Shifts

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has launched investigations into 20 more adult sites as part of its age assurance enforcement program under the Online Safety Act.

xHamster Settles Texas AV Lawsuit, Pays $120,000

Hammy Media, parent company of xHamster, has settled a lawsuit brought by the state of Texas over alleged noncompliance with the state’s age verification law, agreeing to pay a $120,000 penalty.

OnlyFans Institutes Criminal Background Checks for US Creators

OnlyFans will screen creators in the United States for criminal convictions, CEO Keily Blair has announced in a post on LinkedIn.

Strike 3 Rejects Meta 'Personal Use' Defense in AI Suit

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings this week responded to Facebook parent company Meta’s motion to dismiss Strike 3’s suit accusing Meta of pirating VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Pornhub, Stripchat: VLOP Designation Based on Flawed Data

In separate cases, attorneys for Pornhub and Stripchat this week told the EU’s General Court that the European Commission relied on unreliable data when it classified the sites as “very large online platforms” (VLOPs) under the EU’s Digital Services Act, news organization MLex reports.

Show More