The Indian Government has issue a fresh advisory for OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and other intermediaries. Quoting Part-III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media, Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (hereinafter referred to as IT Rules, 2021), inter-alia, provide for a Code of Ethics for publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms), the Government has advised all such parties to ban Pakistani dramas and related OTT content with immediate effect.
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The Ministry of Broadcasting has issued this notice and has reminded streaming platforms that several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan based State and non-State actors. The advisory also goes on to state:
“The Code of Ethics under the Rules provides that: a publisher shall take into consideration the following factors, when deciding to feature or transmit or publish or exhibit any content, after duly considering the implications of any content as falling under the following categories, and shall exercise due caution and discretion in relation to the same, namely, i content which affects the sovereignty and integrity of India; ii. content which threatens, endangers or jeopardises the security of the State; ii. content which is detrimental to India’s friendly relations with foreign countries; iv. content which is likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order.”
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The Ministry has also reminded streaming platforms that the IT Rules 2021 states to not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information that inter-alia threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign States, or public order.
“In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect,” adds the advisory, thus banning Pakistani dramas.
