'Content self-classification must happen in right spirit under Digital Media Ethics Code'

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) Joint Secretary Vikram Sahay has said that the digital entertainment sector has witnessed phenomenal growth and has been a source of direct and indirect employment, however, it is now the responsibility of everyone in the industry to ensure self-classification happens in right spirit under the Digital Media Ethics Code.

“Consumers are curious whether the self-classification rule will be able to maintain the level of seriousness and discipline in content creation. We are of the view that the content creators and producers are mature enough and have accepted it in the right spirit. It is now the responsibility of everyone in the industry to ensure this self-classification happens in letter and spirit. There should not be any cause of grievances on account of the fact that it is self-classification rather than pre-certification," he said while speaking at digital entertainment conference, Pixels.

Sahay also said that the ministry has been in consultation with IAMAI for quite long in the area of content regulation. "IAMAI has played a very important role in putting all the OTT players together and trying to develop a commonality of ideas and interests and that has helped us in trying to come out with a Digital Media Ethics Code which was notified in February this year.”

The Digital Media Ethics Code was notified in the month of February this year. The rules prescribed a framework to empower consumers to make informed viewing choices and also put in place a tiered grievance redressal mechanism.

In order to put in place an institutional mechanism for publishers of news & current affairs on digital media and publishers of online curated content (OTT Platforms), Government has notified Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, on 25th February 2021 under Information Technology Act, 2000.

Part-III of the Rules provide for a Code of Ethics to be followed by publishers of news & current affairs on digital media and publishers of online curated content (OTT Platforms). The Code of Ethics for OTT platforms specifies general principles to be followed by the platforms for carriage of content, classification of content into five age based categories, display of such classification, and restricting access to children of higher rated content.

Schedule to the Rules lays down guiding principles for content classification and takes into account factors like portrayal of misuse of psychotropic substances, imitable behavior, language, nudity, sex, and violence.