Streaming services may soon adopt a voluntary censorship code, says report

Online streaming services operating in the country such as Netflix and Hotstar may soon adopt a voluntary censorship code, reported The Economic Times, citing sources.

According to the report, the sources said that this is due to the operators seeking to avoid getting into a tussle with the authorities in the country.

The voluntary action would mean that the operators would stop showing content that are banned by the judicial authorities, sources told the paper, adding scenes disrespecting the national emblem and flag, hurting religious sentiments, promoting terrorism or violence against state and children in sexual acts will be blocked.

As per the report, the sources added that those who adopt the code will most likely accept a redressal mechanism allowing viewers to send complaints if they feel the operators have violated the policy.

“Right now, the members are leaning towards adhering to the first model of sending complaints to OTT companies directly rather than setting up an adjudicatory body as content on all these platforms are generated differently, giving them varied control on it. Some are originals and some are licensed,” a lawyer representing one of the OTT players was quoted as saying in the report.

While firms such as Zee5, Times Internet, Eros Now and Alt Balaji along with Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) have favoured the move, the report said that it is highly unlikely that Amazon, Facebook and Google will support the policy.