Plea In SC Urges Creation Of An Autonomous Regulator To Oversee Content On OTT, Other Digital Platforms

A public interest lawsuit (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court, asking for the Centre to be directed to establish an independent entity that will oversee, filter, and control content on over-the-top (OTT) and other platforms in India.

PTI said that the PIL, which was filed on September 10, used the Netflix series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack to illustrate the necessity of a regulatory framework because the OTT platform claimed the show was based on actual events.

Advocates Shashank Shekhar Jha and Apurva Arhatia have filed the petition.

It argued that there are no checks and balances on digital platforms, especially over-the-top (OTT) content like there are on traditional media.

"However, (what) the series have shown is a vile attempt to rewrite history, downplay the terror inflicted by the actual hijackers, and subtly glorify their actions...by reducing the tragedy of IC 814 to a farcical narrative, the series tried to promote the insidious agenda that seeks to whitewash the brutality of terrorism and vilify the Hindu community," said the plea.

It further stated that the Central Board of Film, a statutory organisation responsible for overseeing public screenings of films licensed under the Cinematograph, exists. The same law establishes a stringent certification procedure for commercial films that are screened in public spaces, but there is currently no organisation in place to control over-the-top programming. Because of this, OTTs are only subject to self-regulations, which are not appropriately followed, and contentious images are broadcast to the general public without any kind of oversight.