In a major breather for OTT platforms, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry of the Government of India has asserted that it will NOT censor content that streams on the platforms. The I&B Ministry, now known as The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY), has instead asked all OTT platforms operating in the country to put in place a suitable system for self regulation.
The new rules for OTT and digital entertainment were announced before the media by the Union Electronics & Information Technology Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Human Resources Minister, Prakash Javadekar.
Here are the significant features of the new OTT regulation rules:
1. Every OTT platform should have a system of self-classification of content. Content must be classified into five age-based categories – U (Universal), U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+, and A (Adult).
2. Besides age-based regulation, content available on the streaming platform must also be classified by genre, that is genre-based regulation.
3. Every OTT platform must have a mechanism of parental lock for content classified as U/A 13+ or higher, and reliable age verification mechanisms for content classified as A. The parental lock must ensure compliance that children don’t see the content in that category.
4. Every OTT platform must have a grievance redressal system.
5. OTT platforms must practice self-regulation via a 3-tier regulatory system – the first tier will consist of personnel from the OTT platform itself.
6. The 2nd tier will be a self-regulatory body, which must be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, High Court judge or very eminent person in this category.
7. The third tier will come directly under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting through an ‘Oversight Mechanism’.
8. These self-regulatory rules will ensure that there is minimum intervention from the government in the OTT content space, which means ‘no censorship’. At the same time, it will –
a. Ensure growth in the burgeoning Audio-Visual Services Sector.
b. Empower audiences to make informed choices about content.
c. Get audience grievances addressed quickly and efficiently.
d. Protect children from being exposed to content not suitable for their age.
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