Yesterday, we received a major update on the censorship issue of OTT. The content on OTT will not be subject to the cuts and certifications of CBFC.
The Supreme Court’s recent observations on online content have once again revived the debate around regulating OTT platforms. While the government has clarified that streaming content does not fall under the CBFC’s authority, the larger concern raised by the court cuts deeper. The real problem is not who regulates OTT, but whether regulation can even keep up with the speed of the internet.
The court rightly pointed out that once controversial content is uploaded, it spreads within minutes. By the time complaints are filed and authorities respond, the material has already reached millions. In such a system, regulation becomes reactive rather than preventive. No certification board, code of conduct, or grievance mechanism can realistically screen or control content that moves this fast.
The existing three-tier system under the IT Rules 2021 looks orderly on paper, but in practice it struggles with timing. Self-regulation and government intervention both arrive after the damage, outrage, or offence has already occurred. Removing or blocking content later does little to undo its impact or circulation.
This exposes the limits of censorship in the digital age. The internet does not operate on approval or permission, and trying to impose old regulatory thinking on new media creates an illusion of control. Certification works for cinema because release is slow and centralized. Streaming and social platforms are immediate, fragmented, and constant.
Instead of chasing content after it goes viral, the focus should shift toward clearer guidelines, faster response systems, and stronger digital awareness among viewers. The problem is the impossibility of enforcing them at internet speed.