New Delhi: The government has given 15 days to the digital media and OTT platforms to give details on compliance with the new rules which came into force from Wednesday. The new rules – to regulate digital content – introduce a code of conduct and a three-tier grievance redressal framework. These include appointment of compliance officers based in India, complaint resolution, monitoring of objectionable material, compliance report and removal of objectionable material. The move comes a day after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology received a similar notice in which information was sought from the social media platform under the new rules. The IT Ministry had said that this information should be given as soon as possible.
Under the new rules, the Ministry of Information Broadcasting asked for information about the company name, director’s name, address, phone number, grievance redressal officer, system of self-regulation etc. According to the ministry, so far about 60 digital news platforms have told that they have started forming self-regulation institutions under the new rules. Some publishers have written to the Ministry for registration under the new rules.
The Ministry of Information Broadcasting has divided the digital media platform into three categories. The first category is of those traditional publishers who give news in digital medium in addition to their newspaper or television. The second category is that of digital news publishers. The third category has been created over the top ie OTT platform, which gives entertainment and other information through digital medium.
Basic information was asked from the first category publishers such as name, URL, language, app, social media account. Also, they have to tell about the permission of the TV channel, or the RNI registration number of the newspaper, contact information, and the grievance redressal mechanism.
In the second category too, almost the same information was sought, but in this, the company identification number and the information of the board of directors have also been asked, if they are companies.
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In the third category also, name, address, URL, app name, etc. have been asked. In cases of foreign OTT, the country of registration will have to be told and from which day the work started in India. The OTT will also have to give information about the grievance redressal system, in which the name of the content manager will also have to be mentioned.
It is important to note that many digital publishers have challenged the new rules in different high courts. Notices have been issued on their petitions.
