Question : Law for OTT Service Providers

Will the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology be pleased to state :

(a) whether obscene and violent contents are being telecast through OTT platforms due to the absence of strict laws to regulate these services and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
(b) whether the Government/Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) proposes to bring a comprehensive law for the OTT service providers;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) if not, the reasons therefor?

(a) to (d): Government of India has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on 25th February 2021 under the Information Technology Act, 2000. These Rules are available on Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology website : https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Intermediary_Guidelines_and_Digital_Media_Ethics_Code_Rules-2021.pdf.

Part-III of these Rules, administered by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), inter alia, provide for the following :

(i) Code of Ethics to be followed by publishers of news & current affairs on digital media and publishers of online curated content (commonly known as OTT Platforms).
(ii) A three-level Grievance Redressal Mechanism consisting of the publisher (Level-I), Self-Regulating body constituted by the publishers (Level-II) and an Oversight Mechanism of the Government (Level-III), with time bound grievance disposal mechanism.
(iii) Furnishing of information by the publishers to the Government and periodical disclosure of information regarding grievance redressal in public domain.


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