Netflix, Amazon Prime May Soon Face Censorship In India

The online-based video streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have seen an explosion in their popularity across the country. This achievement seems to have attracted the attention of the Government, as it considers potential censorship over such platforms. The current laws allow for the moderation of TV and Cinema; there is no provision per se for the restriction of content on the growing online platforms.

The fear of censorship in India had forced the online platforms Netflix and Hotstar to sign self-regulatory codes in January, which would act as a guideline for the companies’ content. The exercise seems to have been futile as a recent flurry of court cases and police complaints have triggered this sudden interest of the government on this matter.

Available to watch over several devices, online streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are an unorthodox alternative to the mainstream media content.

The main point of contention for the Government officials seems to be the lack of uniformity of these self-regulatory codes. The codes, as a Government official said, are not the same for everyone, and this is a problem the Government is looking to solve.

Netflix’s first Indian original series ‘Sacred Games’ was on the receiving end of a court challenge last year, over the remarks made in the series about a former Prime Minister. The case was dismissed later on. Another Netflix original by the name of ‘Leila’ has received court challenges over offensive and derogatory remarks. Amazon’s ‘Mirzapur’ and ‘The Family Man’ seem to be facing the same concerns.

Netflix’s original series ‘Sacred Games’ received a court challenge in the Delhi High Court.

What this censorship would look like is still unclear. One way to go would be for the content to obtain certain approvals before going live. Or the content might be certified by a certification board, like the cinema. Another concern that the Government seems to be raising is the fact that most of this online content does not carry the mandatory anti-tobacco and health warnings in the scenes where smoking and drinking have been depicted.

How Popular Are Netflix, Amazon Prime, And Other Online Platforms?

The recent boom in the usage of mobile data in India has lead to the rise of Netflix-like online streaming platforms. The on-demand service that these platforms offer makes them all the more attractive for customers. According to a report by the PwC, India will be amongst the top 10 markets worldwide for online streaming services by 2025.

Recently the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) and the Ministry for Electronics And Information Technology (MEITy) had held a meeting to discuss regulating and certifying online content. This is where Amazon had declined to sign the petition and asked other companies to do so too.

9 VCs in Madrid and Barcelona discuss the COVID-19 era and look to the future

Spain’s startup ecosystem has two main hubs: Madrid and Barcelona. Most observers place Barcelona first and Madrid second, but the gap appears to close every year. Barcelona has benefitted from attracting expats in search of sun, beach and lifestyle who tend to produce more internationally minded startups. Madrid’s startups have predominantly been Spain or Latin America-focused, but have become increasingly international in nature. Although not part of this survey, we expect Valencia to join next year, as city authorities have been going all-out to attract entrepreneurs and investors. The overall Spanish ecosystem is generally less mature than those in the U.K., France, Sweden and Germany, but it has been improving at a fast clip. More recently, entrepreneurs in Spain have moved away from emulating success in pursuit of innovative technologies. Following the financial crisis, the Spanish government supported the creation of startups with the launch of FOND-ICO GLOBAL, a €1.5 billi...

Emulating USB Dongle – Introducing HASP Dongle Emulator Software

Information Technology Blog - - Emulating USB Dongle – Introducing HASP Dongle Emulator Software - Information Technology Blog Over the years the methods used by software developers and producers to limit the amount of users to a specific number in a licensing agreement have become more complex. The aim of copy protection is to protect the intellectual rights and financial investment of the individual developers and manufacturing companies. A way of getting around this protection is to reproduce the media through which you can deliver the application to other users, meaning that the software can be replicated far in excess of that specified in the license. One of the most common methods has been to use hardware keys or dongles which will enable the user to activate an application, unlocking its full functionality without using a device. In addition, it offers good protection against attempts to pirate the software. In this article, we will look at th...

Advantages and Disadvantages of using Vouchers in eCommerce

Information Technology Blog - - Advantages and Disadvantages of using Vouchers in eCommerce - Information Technology Blog To decide whether vouchers and coupons are the right tool to add to your online marketing strategy, it is essential that you consider the benefit and the cost of using coupons. In this article, we will use Gtech coupon marketing strategy as an example a successful coupon strategy. Also check out these great books on coupon codes for ecommerce . Advantages of Using Coupons Increase Sales This is the obvious benefit. Coupons serve to increase sales especially for high ticket items such as luxury gadgets. Gtech discount codes is a good example as Gtech quality is reflected on the price of both the Gtech eBike and Gtech AirRam. In order to boost sales, the company releases 10% off offers certain times of the year when online sales would normally be low. Enlarge Email List Acquiring a customer can be expensive in terms of advertising and marketing. If yo...

FREE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BLOG FOR PROFESSIONALS

Search This Blog