The Supreme Court’s notice has opened up an important but tricky conversation. While it asks the Centre, social media companies, and OTT platforms to explain what they’re doing to stop sexually explicit content, it doesn’t say what exactly counts as “obscene.” That’s where the problem begins.
In a country like India, people have different ideas of what is acceptable and what is not. Morality often depends on religion, culture, and personal beliefs. Something that may seem fine to one group might deeply offend another. So, when the court talks about removing “obscene” content, it raises the question who decides what that is?
This uncertainty could push OTT platforms to play it safe. Instead of thinking carefully about what to keep or cut, they might start removing anything remotely bold or steamy even if it is important to the story. That can hurt the quality of films and shows. Good cinema often deals with difficult, mature topics. If creators are forced to hold back, storytelling will suffer.
Also, art is supposed to challenge, question, and reflect society. If platforms get too scared, we may end up with content that is too plain or safe. That would be a big loss, not just for artists, but for viewers too.
The court’s intention might be to protect public interest, but without a clear idea of what “obscene” means, this could lead to more confusion than change. And in the end, creative freedom may be the one paying the price.