Seventeen streaming platforms under the guidance of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) have launched a self-regulation toolkit. Why?
Self-regulation
The IAMAI last week announced that major video streaming platforms have adopted the ‘Implementation Toolkit’ which will help the platforms put into practice the Universal Self-Regulation Code signed by seventeen streaming players in September last year.
The over-the-top (OTT) platforms that have signed the Universal Self-Regulation Code are ZEE5, Viacom 18 (Voot), Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, SonyLiv, MX Player, Jio Cinema, Eros Now, Alt Balaji, Arre, HoiChoi, Hungama, Shemaroo, Discovery Plus, Aha and Lionsgate Play.
The IAMAI in a statement said that the new document will assist these signatories in making a seamless transition to self-regulation, and guide them on the relevant laws of the land, which will be adhered to by the signatories with respect to content. As part of the grievance redressal mechanism, it mandates signatories to set up a two-tier structure comprising an internal committee and an advisory panel. The toolkit is effective from 10 February 2021.
The amended provisions
It is not the first set of self-regulatory code that has been introduced by the streaming platforms. The new document addresses certain issues that were flagged by the government in the previous code, such as the lack of independent third-party monitoring and clarity on what comprises prohibited content.
Therefore, the ‘Implementation Toolkit’, a code, is a step forward from the Universal Self-Regulation Code IAMAI had launched in September last year that was rejected by the government.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had refused to support the IAMAI’s self-regulatory model for OTT platforms. In a letter to the IAMAI, the ministry had advised it to look at the structures of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) and News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) as guiding principles for developing a credible self-regulatory and grievance redressal mechanism.
The ministry said that the proposed self-regulatory mechanism lacks independent third-party monitoring, does not have well defined Code of Ethics, does not clearly enunciate prohibited content and at the second-tier level there is an issue of conflict of interest. Therefore, the ministry said it could not support the self-regulatory mechanism proposed by the IAMAI.
Justifying the new document, Amit Goenka, chair of IAMAI’s Digital Entertainment Committee, said in a statement issued by the body that the toolkit amplifies all the critical points in the streaming platforms’ self-regulation code and aims to address the feedback received from the MIB, particularly on strengthening the grievance redressal mechanism.
The need to endorse
Welcoming the move, K Madhavan, a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said that the toolkit has been drafted by industry stakeholders who are also members of the CII national committee on OTT and digital content. CII welcomes and supports this initiative and requests the government of India to endorse and support it. He added that the industry is mature and responsible enough to keep necessary guidelines in mind while creating content.
Content on streaming platforms is currently not subject to any regulation and there have been many controversies around various series or movies for the content they stream.
However, the government has hinted to bring out a regulation code for OTT platforms after the OTTs were brought under the I&B ministry recently. I&B minister Prakash Javadekar had said in the Rajya Sabha that guidelines and directives for OTT platforms are almost ready and will be implemented soon. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if the government will again reject the new code in order to bring regulation on its own.
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