Dismissing concerns of OTT platforms on the government's new rules governing digital content services, Amit Khare, Secretary, I&B Ministry said that the new rules are not designed to treat all the content platforms such as television, print and web series by the same yardstick, but there needs to be some sought of regulatory supervision for all.
“We understand fully that this type of media is different. The print is different from TV, TV is different from films & films are different from web series. We can't have the same criteria all over but there should be some sort of similarity in goal post,” news agency ANI quoted Khare.
“Level playing field does not mean the same field for everybody but some sort of similarity in the regulation should be there. What was announced yesterday is a soft touch, a self-regulatory mechanism with minimal interference of the government,” the I&B ministry Secretary added.
The new online content rules were primarily opposed by the OTT platforms who have argued that a government-designated authorised officer in charge of the proposed committee will have the power to block the content and this could constrain creativity.
The I&B Ministry and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) on Thursday announced new rules directing digital services such as over-the-top (OTT), social media and digital news portals to set up a self-regulatory mechanism for grievance redressal.
Legal experts have shown concern that the description of “grievance” was too vast and could apply to anything.
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As per the three-tier redressal system proposed by the government in the new rules, the proposed independent self-regulatory body will be headed by an ex-judge of the high court or Supreme Court judge to rule on complaints related to content.
“Online publishers will have to establish a self-regulatory body which will be headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge or very eminent person in this category", Union I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar said as he spelt the broad contours of the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on Thursday.