Indian Government Sets Deadline for Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Other OTT Platforms To Respond to Regulatory Committee Proposal

The Indian government recently held a meeting with representatives of OTT platforms Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and Amazon Prime, among others. Information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said during the meeting that the OTT platforms must consider the country’s diversity, and it should reflect in their content. The government submitted its proposal of setting up its committee that will regulate the content on OTT platforms and has given the likes of Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, and Amazon Prime, a two-week deadline to respond.

Indian government calls for an external regulatory body for content on OTT platforms

This proposed independent panel will consist of Indian broadcasting industry players, lawyers, and key figures. There was no mention of who can or cannot be a part of this committee. Thakur also said that these OTT platforms “can’t show vulgarity” and they should instead focus on “providing a healthy viewing experience to all age groups.”

Some concerns raised by the ministry also included the idea that the Westernisation of culture, shaming a religion, and stereotyping India and its culture have to end. Thakur also tweeted after the meeting to publicly share that the meeting had a discussion on content regulation and user experience. He wrote, “Platforms must also be sensitive to our cultural diversity as we unleash India’s creative economy.”

There are also claims that specific content on OTT platforms that raised concerns were highlighted, as per CNBC TV18. These included Netflix’s Afwaah, Rana Naidu, and Lust Stories. Before this meeting, the idea of an external regulatory body was also discussed during a meeting in June.

Currently, OTT platforms have their own regulatory measures, and it is clear that the Indian government feels that self-regulation is not enough to deal with diverse cultures and hence the need for sensitivity in content. Thakur said that “OTT players have a responsibility of ensuring that their platform does not propagate vulgarity and abuse camouflaged as ‘creative expression.’” But for something as subjective as creativity, it’s anyone’s guess where the line needs to be drawn.