Centre asks OTT platforms to stop streaming content from Pakistan

The government has asked all over-the-top (OTT) content streaming platforms, media streaming platforms, and internet intermediaries to immediately discontinue streaming of web series, films, songs, podcasts and any other content that has its origin in Pakistan.

 

In an advisory, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) said that under Part-III of the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, also known as the Information Technology Rules (IT) of 2021, all content publishers must take into consideration factors such as whether the content affects the “sovereignty and integrity of India, threatens, endangers or jeopardises the security of the State, is detrimental to India’s friendly relations with foreign countries, and is likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order” before publishing and airing them for public consumption.

 

 

“Several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan-based State and non-State actors,” the MIB said in its advisory.

 

The IT Rules of 2021 lay out specific guidelines for internet intermediaries, content OTT and media streaming platforms on the nature of content that can be stored, published or transmitted by them. While Parts I and II of the IT Rules deal with internet and social media intermediaries and are administered by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Part III specifies the Code of Ethics and procedure and safeguards concerning digital media and is administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.