Refrain from using obscene content: Parliamentary panel tells OTT platforms

A Parliamentary panel on Monday told executives of several over-the-top (OTT) players, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney + Hotstar, to respect the country’s cultural sensitivities and refrain from using obscenities on their platforms, a report by Economic Times (ET) said.

Top executives from the OTT platforms deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Technology chaired by Shiv Sena MP Prataprao Jadhav, it added.

Apurva Chandra, the secretary for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), was also present at the meeting along with other representatives.

Several members also brought up the issue of abusive language and obscenity in the content showcased on OTT platforms and advised the executives to use restraint, sources said.

The Cinematograph Act’s applicability to OTT platforms was also discussed at the meeting.

The issue of piracy faced by OTT platforms also came up for discussion. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram suggested it should be dealt with stringently.

Members also inquired about the revenue generated by these platforms in India, as well as the amount invested back.

The OTT platforms are expected to respond to the Parliamentary panel’s questions in writing. Business Standard