Digital Media Guidelines: The biggest benefit of the new guidelines released for digital media is going to get users whose complaints against social media or OTT were not heard till now. Most of the natives have been tightened up on big social media companies. They have got three months to implement the guideline. However, the government avoided answering the question as to who would be jailed in cases of serious objectionable content. To user or social media?
The Case Started in 2018, When the Supreme Court Asked for a Guideline to be Made
The case started on December 11, 2018, when the Supreme Court asked the government to make necessary guidelines to remove content related to child pornography, rape, gangrape from digital platforms. The government prepared the draft on 24 December 2018. 177 comments came on it.
4 Types of Platforms will Come Under the Guideline
The government has used four words in the guideline. First- Intermediaries. Second- social media intermediaries. Third- Significant social media intermediaries. Fourth – OTT platforms.
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Intermediary refers to a service provider who transmits and publishes users’ content, but unlike news media, he has no editorial control over that content. These intermediaries can be your internet service providers. There may be social media platforms or web services that allow you to upload, post or publish content.
Important Points of Central Government’s Guidelines
- There will be a forum for complaints to crores of users of social media in the country
- Through this forum, users can get their grievances resolved through the use of social media
- If the court or government asks for the information of the first originator of any objectionable, naughty tweet or message, then the social media platform will have to provide this information i.e. now it will not be easy to make objectionable, naughty tweet against anyone.
- The platform will have to create a mechanism for redressal of grievances, for which companies will have to appoint an officer and also mention its name i.e. now the complaints of the users can be processed and its honor can be taken care of. Digital Media Guidelines.
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- The concerned officer will have to file a complaint within 24 hours and it will have to be resolved within 15 days.
- If women post an objectionable photo of someone, then the content will have to be removed within 24 hours of receiving the complaint, i.e. the offending post or photo will not be available in this medium, so that the woman’s sense of respect will be protected.
- If the content of a social media user is to be removed, then he has to give the right reason for doing so. That is, only on someone’s complaint, your content will not be removed, as long as it does not meet the criteria.
- Companies have to report every month how many complaints came and what action was taken on them.
- If the content of a social media user is to be removed, then he has to explain the reason for doing so and also to know his side.
Guidelines for OTT and Digital News
- There will be a 3-step mechanism for OTT and digital news.
- There is no obligation to register for OTT and digital news, but all of them have to provide their information
- A system will be made to deal with complaints, they will have to be made a self-regulation body
- A retired judge of the Supreme Court or High Court or someone of similar stature will lead the Regulation Body
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- According to the need of action, a system will be created at the government level, which can handle such cases.
- Like movies, OTT platforms also have to follow the program code.
- Classification has to be done about the content in terms of age i.e. which content is appropriate for which age group
- Content of OTT platform will be divided into 13+, 16+ and A categories
- Parental lock will be provided, parents will be able to block content that is not right for their child.
Guideline Issue Heats up Most After Farmer Movement
- Debate had been going on for a long time in social media over the use of freedom of expression versus wrong usage. The turning point in this case came from the time of the peasant movement. On 26 January, when violence took place on the Red Fort, the government took strict action against the social media companies.
- The government said social media supports police action if there is an attack on Capitol Hill in the US. If the Red Fort is attacked in India, you adopt a double standard. This is not clear to us.
- The OTT or over the top platforms are also facing allegations of obscenity. This time in Parliament session 50 questions were asked on behalf of MPs regarding OTT. OTT platforms have grown rapidly in the country for the last 3 years. It grew the most by 30% between March and July last year. There were 22.2 million OTT users in March 2020, which increased to 29 million in July 2020. There are currently 40 large OTT platforms in the country.
