Govt gives OTT, digital media players 15 days to furnish details on compliance with new rules

The Centre has written to the OTT and digital media platforms to furnish all their details and compliance status as per the new IT rules within 15 days.

In its notice to the platforms, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting said that a total of around 60 publishers and their associations have informed the ministry that they have already initiated the process of formation of self-regulatory bodies under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Codes) Rules, 2021.

"There is no requirement for prior registration of digital media publishers with the ministry," it said, adding that one of the new rules provides for furnishing certain information by the publishers of news and current affairs content, and publishers of online curated content, to the ministry.

Apart from the details on the websites, mobile apps and social media accounts, the ministry has also sought information on the grievance redressal mechanism.

"The publishers may furnish the information to the ministry in the applicable format within 15 days of the issuance of this notice," it said.

The Centre came up with the new rules in February this year, creating a new framework for governing intermediary liability and digital media regulation.

As per the norms, digital news publishers will now have to notify the government of their operations, set up self-regulatory bodies and apply a complaint redressal mechanism, besides following the codes which were only applicable to print and television news thus far.