The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is considering a statutory framework to regulate OTT content considered offensive to society’s moral standards, according to a parliamentary committee report tabled in the Lok Sabha by BJP MP Satish Kumar Gautam on Friday. The proposed framework may also provide for an independent post-release review panel to examine flagged content and recommend corrective action.
The development was disclosed by the Home Ministry on August 7 in its response to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which had examined the regulation of OTT platforms and the protection of children from inappropriate content.
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Regulation of programmes on OTT platforms
According to the report, seen by HT, a “comprehensive statutory framework mechanism” to regulate programmes aired on OTT platforms that are offensive to societal moral standards is under consideration.
The committee has recommended setting up an independent “post release review panel” comprising experts from child development, education, law, social sciences and civil society.
Explaining the panel’s role, the committee report said, “...the Post Release Review Panel will watch the flagged or trending content post release based on user complaints submitted through a standardised grievance mechanism. The Committee recommends that the Panel shall devise suitable norms and guidelines keeping in view the cultural ethos and sensitivity of the country. The Committee further recommends that the panel may also workout suitable penalties in case of infringement of these norms/guidelines.”
{{/usCountry}}Explaining the panel’s role, the committee report said, “...the Post Release Review Panel will watch the flagged or trending content post release based on user complaints submitted through a standardised grievance mechanism. The Committee recommends that the Panel shall devise suitable norms and guidelines keeping in view the cultural ethos and sensitivity of the country. The Committee further recommends that the panel may also workout suitable penalties in case of infringement of these norms/guidelines.”
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Age verification and parental controls
The committee has also recommended that the proposed statutory framework include technology-enabled age verification and stronger parental controls that go beyond simple self-declaration to prevent minors from accessing age-inappropriate content. It has also suggested penalties for non-compliance.
The report, however, does not specify a timeline for introducing the proposed framework or indicate whether the government has finalised its structure.
The committee noted that the current regulatory framework under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, relies largely on self-regulation and a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism.