Responding to a question on the need for censoring OTT content, the Centre today clarified that all adult content on OTT apps and streaming platforms needs to be properly classified by the platforms themselves, rather than by the government.
Information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said the provision for categorization, unlike in the case of cinema, exists in the Code of Ethics under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
"The Code requires such publishers not to transmit any content which is prohibited by law and to undertake age-based classification of content into 5 categories... [and] to put in place adequate safeguard for restricting age-inappropriate content for children and with adequate access control measures such as parental locks etc.." he added.
The clarification comes in the wake of complaints from some quarters that some of the content shows too much nudity and obscene language.
The proliferation of the internet has led to the emergence of a global market for entertainment content, with the same web series and movies being watched across the world. This has made it more difficult for countries to control the content available to their citizens.
The I&B ministry has, in the past, held dialogues with the OTT players on the issue of 'bold' content.
However, the government has faced some pushback not only from the OTT players, but also from freedom-of-expression activists and even ordinary users, who point out that OTT apps are not a medium of public exhibition, but a means of personal entertainment. They argue that the state has no right to interfere in how a citizen chooses to entertain himself or herself.
As part of the dialogue, Anurag Thakur had, in July, said that OTT players have a responsibility of ensuring that their platform does not propagate vulgarity and abuse, and "be sensitive to our cultural diversity" even as efforts are made to unleash India’s creative economy.