Thakur: Demeaning Indian culture will not be allowed: Anurag Thakur to OTT platforms | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Over The Top platforms operating in India must “reflect the collective conscience of the country” and provide a “healthy viewing experience to people of all age groups”, information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said on Tuesday at a meeting with representatives of OTT platforms including Netflix, Amazon, Discovery, Disney Hotstar, Amazon and Alt Balaji, among others.
The meeting, convened by the government to arrive at a better “understanding” of the rapidly-growing streaming industry, also discussed contenton the streaming platforms that “demeans Indian culture” or is “increasingly vulgar”.
Sources said representatives of OTT platforms, who have been votaries of “creative freedom”, told the ministerthat several systems to filter and classify content in accordance with the government’s guidelines for digital media content are already in place.
Since 2021, OTT platforms have been providing age-related classifications as a part of mandatory Code of Ethics for online curated content, which mandate that all content transmitted, published or exhibited by OTT platforms be classified on the basis on the nature and type of content, and divided into five categories: suitable for universal (U) viewing; for ages 7 and above (U/A 7+); 13 and above (U/A 13+); 16 and above (U/A 16+); and Adult (A) content. Though the rules also direct OTT platforms to consider India’s multi-racial and multi-religious context and exercise “due caution and discretion” when featuring the activities, beliefs, practices, or views of any racial or religious group, streaming platforms have often run foul of one or the other mandates through their content.
In this regard, Thakur told OTT players that the government will not allow “demeaning of Indian culture and society in the name of creative freedom” and that OTTs should not use their platforms as tools of “vicious propaganda and ideological biases”.
The meeting, convened by the government to arrive at a better “understanding” of the rapidly-growing streaming industry, also discussed contenton the streaming platforms that “demeans Indian culture” or is “increasingly vulgar”.
Sources said representatives of OTT platforms, who have been votaries of “creative freedom”, told the ministerthat several systems to filter and classify content in accordance with the government’s guidelines for digital media content are already in place.
Since 2021, OTT platforms have been providing age-related classifications as a part of mandatory Code of Ethics for online curated content, which mandate that all content transmitted, published or exhibited by OTT platforms be classified on the basis on the nature and type of content, and divided into five categories: suitable for universal (U) viewing; for ages 7 and above (U/A 7+); 13 and above (U/A 13+); 16 and above (U/A 16+); and Adult (A) content. Though the rules also direct OTT platforms to consider India’s multi-racial and multi-religious context and exercise “due caution and discretion” when featuring the activities, beliefs, practices, or views of any racial or religious group, streaming platforms have often run foul of one or the other mandates through their content.
In this regard, Thakur told OTT players that the government will not allow “demeaning of Indian culture and society in the name of creative freedom” and that OTTs should not use their platforms as tools of “vicious propaganda and ideological biases”.
