Author: Divya Jayaram

In a bold move that has re-ignited debate over morality and freedom of expression, the Government of India imposed a ban on 25 OTT (Over the Top) platforms including ULLU, ALTT, DesiFlix, and 22 others for showcasing obscene, vulgar, and in some cases, even pornographic content. This ban was imposed under Section 67 and 67A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 20001 and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 19862. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, after due consultation with the Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development, and IT, made this move. This raises…

Abstract Economic analysis invariably defends fair use by showing its beneficial externalities—such as increasing knowledge, lowering transaction costs, driving innovation, and raising consumer well-being. Although critics suggest that fair use depletes revenue streams, empirical evidence and case law demonstrate that fair use widens, rather than narrows, market opportunities. Properly regulated, fair use supports a balanced Intellectual Property (“IP”) regime, benefiting both copyright owners and society. Introduction The World Trade Organization (“WTO”) defines IP rights as: “Intellectual property rights are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the…