Action against any non-compliance with the OTT Rules 2023: Health Ministry

The union health ministry on Saturday said that there is no compromise with the rules and action will be initiated for any non-compliance with the OTT (over-the-top) Rules 2023.

Highlighting a media report claiming the ‘Union Government has reached an uneasy compromise’ with OTT streaming services on adding smoking warnings to their content, the ministry said the report is misinformed and claims are false, misleading and based on misrepresented facts.

The report further claimed that some platforms have chosen less intrusive warnings as a result of such an agreement. 

“Considering public health as a priority issue, the Government of India has extended the COTP (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products) film rules to OTT platform also. OTT rules 2023 became operative from 1st September 2023. Under these rules, now all OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney + Hotstar, Jio Cinema, Sony LIV, ALTBalaji, Voot etc. have to display anti- tobacco health spots, anti- tobacco health warning as a prominent static message and audio-visual disclaimer on the ill-effect of tobacco use as prescribed in the rules”, the ministry said.

In a statement, the health ministry said that the step of the Government has been commended by various public health organizations and experts. “By bringing OTT under the tobacco control rules, India has become a world leader in tobacco control measures”, said health ministry.

“All OTT platforms are required to strictly comply with the provision of the OTT Rules 2023 as it became effective from 1st September 2023. There is no compromise with the rules and action will be initiated by the Government for any non-compliance with the OTT Rules 2023”, the health ministry said.