I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar asks top OTT players to frame Code of Conduct

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has asked OTT players to set up an adjudicatory body and finalise code of conduct according to media reports (first reported in Mumbai Mirror). The Minister gathered the heads of all the top OTT platforms in the country which included Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar and other major players.

While Javadekar stated that they won’t censor streaming content themselves, they did invoke the example of China where government led censorship of online content prevails. In the 45 minute meeting, Javadekar proposed that the OTT players set up an adjudicatory body and finalise regulatory Code of Conduct for OTT streaming content.

He also proposed the need for a clearer ratings standard as video streaming content is sourced from multiple providers.

Last year, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) set up a regulatory body to keep an eye on OTT platforms. The industry body set up a Digital Curated Content Complaints Council which was tasked with resolving the complaints of users.

However, not all OTT platforms signed the code.