We bring to you the major highlights of OTT and digital media guidelines released today by IB Ministry. As per the new guidelines, both digital media and OTT platforms will have to adhere to further disclosures & have a robust redressal mechanism.

Rules are framed under section 87 (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and in supersession of the earlier Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011.

Indian users on different social media platforms (as per MIB):

• WhatsApp users: 53 Crore
• YouTube users: 44.8 Crore
• Facebook users: 41 Crore
• Instagram users: 21 Crore
• Twitter users: 1.75 Crore

“Lack of transparency and absence of robust grievance redressal mechanism have left the users totally dependent on the whims and fancies of social media platforms”, said the ministry.

The Ad-hoc committee of the Rajya Sabha laid its report on 03/02/2020 after studying the alarming issue of pornography on social media and its effect on children and society as a whole and recommended for enabling identification of the first originator of such contents.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has claimed to have held consultations in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai over the last one and half years wherein OTT players have been urged to develop “self-regulatory mechanism”.

A three-level grievance redressal mechanism has been established under the rules with different levels of self-regulation.

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