While the Indian government is cracking down on pornographic and offensive content on OTT platforms, the global social media platform X is not only promoting pornography, but has also become a very profitable platform that acts like porn sites. The minimum age to open an account on X is 13 years. This is where the problem begins. The platform does not have a strong age verification system or any proactive measures to keep content away from children. As a result, 13- or 14-year-olds watch adult content on X. In India, it is legally prohibited for anyone under the age of 18 to view adult content, but X is not forced to comply. Subscription trap in the name of free clips: Many fake profiles on X share short clips of pornographic videos, which link users to the official website or third-party portal. When visiting these portals, users are either asked for huge subscription fees or they are infected with malware and viruses. These viruses also steal personal information, photos and videos, paving the way for blackmail. In many cybercrimes, it has been found that users involved in similar pornographic promotion activities have been threatened by hackers, extorted money and in some cases even forced to commit suicide. Disregarding Supreme Court Guidelines The Supreme Court of India has clearly ordered a complete ban on pornographic content, especially videos that are non-consensual and insult the modesty of women. However, the situation is different on X. Several videos have emerged allegedly depicting sexual exploitation, violating the privacy of women bathing in public events like the Kumbh Mela, and promoting criminal activities. Government acted on 5 July 2025. The central government has ordered 25 OTT platforms promoting pornographic content to be shut down on July 5, 2025. Major platforms like ALTT, Ullu and Desi Flix were also affected. But no permanent ban has been imposed on social media platforms like X because they operate at the international level and are outside the legal purview of India. According to cyber law expert Virag Gupta, under the “Moderation Guidelines” in India, social media companies will have to create a clear control system against such content. But this absence on X is a matter of concern for now. The conflict between technology and ethics The current system of monitoring content on digital platforms is technically limited and not clear in terms of policy. Although the government has issued certain guidelines through IT regulation in 2021, it seems to be very difficult to actually follow them. Under these guidelines, social media companies are required to appoint a “grievance officer” and clearly categorize content. But platforms like X do not have such officers, nor is there any transparency in content moderation. Rapidly increasing popularity of OTT platform The OTT craze in India started in 2013 when TV channels started growing digitally. Then, in 2015, when Hotstar started streaming IPL, the popularity of OTT increased rapidly. But the close of 2020 has led to a huge increase in the number of viewers on platforms with pornographic content. Viewership on platforms such as ALTT and Ullu grew by 60% in 2020. ALTT’s active users increased by 21%. Although the government has now banned these platforms, global platforms like X have not been affected. What to do now?: Looking for solutions Strengthening the age verification system: The government should implement mandatory age verification tools for X and other such social media platforms. AI-based content filtering: Advanced artificial intelligence tools should be used to identify obscene content. International cooperation to bring platforms under Indian law: International diplomatic efforts should be made to make platforms like X liable under Indian law. Digital Literacy: Parents and children need to be made aware of online threats and digital safety.