Sibal wants views on how to regulate Adult content on Android

Amid rising instances of adult content freely available on applications supported by Android phones, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal Wednesday sought suggestions from the media to deal with the issue.

"I want you people to suggest how can we close it.

If we want to close it, you will attack us. I want all the media to come together and tell the minister how to deal with it so that if I do something about it, you don't attack me," Sibal told reporters in response to a query on the government's action to adult applications on Android platform.

Google's Android platform, on which many smartphones are built and sold in India, reportedly hosts many adult applications that are considered unsuitable for viewing by children.

When contacted, a Google spokesperson said the company builds tools and controls into products that help people manage their online experience.

"Google Play developer program policy does not allow content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. Google has a zero-tolerance policy against child pornography," the spokesperson said in a statement.

It added that if Google becomes aware of content with child pornography, it will report it to the appropriate authorities and delete the Google accounts of those involved with the distribution.

"Similarly for Android, we offer content filtering.

Google Play requires developers to label their applications according to the Google Play ratings system, which consists of four levels," the statement said.

The government had recently come in for sharp criticism for ordering certain websites and web pages blocked for carrying obscene content.