With focus on obscene content, use of AI, Parliamentary panel meets OTT players

Amid the Ranveer Allahbadia & India’s Got Latent controversy, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology and Communications recently met various OTT players to tackle issues like vulgar content, use of artificially intelligence, and other challenges faced by the OTT platforms.

As per industry sources, the committee sought a note on whether any amendments were needed in the laws related to media in light on the emergence of new technology and media platforms.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition by Allahbadia on clubbing the FIRs filed against him across various states, asked the Government “to do something” about the obscene content on YouTube. “We are not going to leave this vacuum and barren area the way it is being misused by so-called YouTube channels and YouTubers,” the Supreme Court bench led by Justice Surya Kant said.

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In November 2024, while addressing a Parliament Question during the Lok Sabha, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics & IT, had highlighted the urgent need to strengthen existing laws governing social media and OTT platforms. He had pointed out that due to the absence of editorial oversight, social media has become a platform for freedom of press on one hand, but on the other hand, it has also become a space for uncontrolled expression, which often includes vulgar content.

In order to discuss this contentious issue of OTT content regulation, industry stakeholders met a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology on December 20, 2024. The meeting addressed concerns raised over vulgarity seen in some OTT content streamed and discussed ways to find a solution to this by bringing the government, industry stakeholders, and content creators together.

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