We live in the age of entertainment, and especially being the victim of an eviction and theaters being closed, the internet has transformed entertainment and has seen an increase in Indians signing up for a new subscription to a variety of content streaming services. The company has witnessed an incredible 30% increase in the number of subscribers who pay, between 22.2 million to 29.0 million in the period between April and July of 2020, and the number of subscribers is growing. Additionally, we have access to a vast range of entertainment options accessible to us thanks to the advent of platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, Zee Prime, and more. There are a lot of sites like KatmovieHD, who are providing free movies to watch online. Even people are downloading movies from these sites.

OTT platforms are media streaming services that are delivered directly to viewers via the internet. They have taken control of the task previously performed by the television using satellite, cable, and. In contrast to the content offered by television and cinema which are controlled by the CBFC regulates the content, BCCC, etc.

The OTT platforms do not have an oversight body to regulate the content that is streaming, except they are controlled by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) and Information Technology Act, 2000 just like other content on the internet. These platforms solely have specific self-regulation/censorship standards of their own, like Netflix has voluntary maturity ratings, thereby enjoying their freedom to publish the contents per their whims and fancies.

OTT Platforms – The Growing Trend

The craze of Over Top(OTT) platforms is going up day by day because now people are enjoying the latest movies in their own homes. Even though they have their family and they are enjoying it, technology has changed the era of cinemas and movies.

They need to create it attainable to succeed in a large variety of individuals with their distinctive and unique content. The recent eruption of pandemics has, even so, influenced the money landscape of the business. Several thought producers have emotional to digital platforms because of the liberty of power they relish rather than TV or theatre releases. The present trend of creating these OTT platforms is the new norm. One question that has the USA within the dark issues of what the web Curated Content is in want of to be censored?

In the matter of Padmanabh Shankar vs Union Of the Republic of India, the province tribunal processed that OTT platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, YouTube, Google, and a number of others, aren’t among the scope of The Cinematograph Act, 1952. The Court noted that the contents on the websites are predicated on requests from users and therefore, its association to the web isn’t within the scope of the Act.

However, despite the choice from The province High Court, the govt. has taken steps indirectly to manage the content of those digital platforms. Apnakanpur.com also provides quality information about entertainment and technology etc.

HOW IS ONLINE CONTENT BEING REGULATED OUTSIDE INDIA

SINGAPORE

In Singapore, the regulation of content for OTT platforms is fairly straightforward since Singapore is the regulator for media. In the year of 2018 Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) issued pointers to control the OTT platforms, in another word we can say that this organization orders to regulate. According to these guidelines, the OTT platform is required to assess the content that is available on its platforms in the same way as offline movies are judged.

If the content has which is to be accessible to viewers over 16 years old the platform should ensure that the parental lock feature is in place by them. In instances where content is made accessible only to viewers over 21 years of age and above, it must be able to put a process that allows users to access the content upon verification of age, that is at all the time locked. The regulator has taken the initiative to inform OTT platforms that any platform that does not adhere to the guidelines they have set for them, must comply with the current laws in the country.

UNITED KINGDOM

The British Broadcasting Corporation in September 2018 criticized September 2018 the United Kingdom Government for not regulating the OTT platforms. Then, even though there weren’t any regulations directly governing these platforms, the British Board of Film Certification announced they were joining forces with Netflix and, as part of this collaboration the board will work to permit Netflix to determine their rating for all the content that is accessible via their service.

The UK Government also has issued laws that enforce standards of the EU Electronic Communications Code (EECC) standards in the UK in 2020. In 2020, in the Brexit transitional framework, the UK will be required to take on the EECC.

While there aren’t rules that are strict enough to regulate these OTT platforms, however, there is a possibility that the UK Government is said to be studying them.

Conclusion

While the Self-regulating Code adopted by the IAMA addressed the issues about censorship to some degree, it did not protect against abuse, nudity, as well as content that could be considered politically sensitive. But, the IB Ministry is set to create new set rules, within the scope of all online streaming platforms, to place them under the government regulation.

With more than 40 OTT platforms across India which includes smaller regional and local ones, The IB Ministry aims to bring under its umbrella the Online Streamed News and Content websites.