OTT Under Threat: Govt Plans Pre-Release Checks!
In order to monitor content prior to its broadcast on over-the-top (OTT) platforms, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is developing new laws. At the moment, modifications are only done in response to complaints or after content has been made public. The new regulations seek to streamline the procedure and reduce the likelihood of legal disputes when requests for post-release modifications are made.
It is now the responsibility of OTT platforms and content developers to make sure that their content complies with legal requirements. We've already begun talking to major streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and jio about how they generate and conduct research for their material, particularly when it comes to indian history. This action follows complaints about inaccurate and anti-Indian depictions, such as those in the Netflix series IC 814. Netflix was recently ordered by the authorities to include disclaimers and make modifications to the series. The government is looking on measures to censor content before it is released in order to prevent similar problems.
Concerns over pornographic content on over-the-top (OTT) platforms have also been voiced by activist uday Mahurkar, who has linked it to an increase in sexual assault and criminality, particularly when it involves youngsters being exposed to explicit content. The freedom of speech and creative creation are threatened by the planned pre-release controls for over-the-top (OTT) material. Although this oversight is intended to avoid post-release controversy, it may also encourage self-censorship. For fear of breaking the rules, creators would steer clear of daring or contentious subjects, which would lessen the depth and variety of their work.
Unconventional storytelling is made possible by OTT platforms' creative flexibility, and strict regulation runs the risk of imposing a sanitized, officially sanctioned narrative. Limiting dangerous content is a good thing, but too much regulation might strangle the very creativity and audacity of speech that distinguish these OTT platforms.