Government To Regulate Netflix, Amazon Prime & All Other OTT Platforms Including News On Social Media

Signed by President Ram Nath Kovind, the Gazette was issued on Monday. The new government regulations also apply to the news on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Central Government issued an order to bring online news portals and entertainment content providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, MX Player, and all other online streaming platforms under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Signed by President Ram Nath Kovind, the Gazette was issued on Monday. The new government regulations also apply to news on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Films, audio-visuals, and news and current affairs content produced and streamed at online platforms will come under the domain of the ministry. As of now, there was no law or autonomous body governing digital content. The move will be giving government control over OTT platforms, which were unregulated. From time to time, the government had indicated the necessity to monitor these platforms.  Earlier in October 2019, the central government indicated that it will issue a “negative” list of don’ts for the video streaming services like Netflix and Hotstar. It also wanted the platforms to come up with a self-regulatory body on the lines of the News Broadcasters Standard Authority. Trying to avoid the government’s intervention, in January 2020, as many as, eight video streaming services signed a self-regulatory code that laid down a set of guiding principles for content on these platforms. Currently, the Press Council of India looks over the print media, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) monitors electronic news channels, the Advertising Standards Council of India is for advertising while the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) takes care of films. Last month in October, the Supreme Court sought the center’s advice on a petition for regulating over-the-top or OTT platforms by an autonomous body. OTT platforms which include news portals and also streaming services such as Hotstar, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, are accessible over the internet or ride on an operator's network. The new media platform has given film-makers and artists the to release their content without being worried about getting clearance certificates for their films and series from the censor board, the petition said. Earlier, the I&B ministry moved to the apex court in the country, seeking to regulate the digital media, and asked that the court appoint the first committee of persons as amicus before laying down guidelines with respect to the regulation of hate speech in the media.