Centre steps up rules to protect children from unsafe OTT content

INDIA: The Centre has strengthened its rules to make online spaces safer for children, especially on OTT platforms. In the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs L Murugan, outlined new measures aimed at stopping children from seeing age-inappropriate content.

The government said that although free speech is protected under Article 19(1), the rapid spread of fake, harmful or misleading material online has made stricter regulation necessary. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, set the standards that OTT platforms and digital news publishers must follow.

Under these rules, OTT platforms cannot host content that is banned by law and must label shows and films with one of five age categories. They also need to offer strong parental controls so that children are not exposed to unsuitable content. Digital news publishers must follow the programme code under the Cable Television Networks Act, 1995, and the Press Council of India’s norms to avoid publishing inaccurate or misleading information.

A three-level grievance system has been created to ensure compliance: publishers must regulate themselves; an industry body reviews complaints; and the Centre oversees cases that are not resolved. The government said this structure maintains accountability while respecting press freedom.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT manages another part of the rules, which require platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to prevent the spread of false or misleading information. The Press Information Bureau’s fact check unit, active since 2019, verifies news about the central government and shares accurate updates on its official channels.

The government can also block websites, posts or social-media accounts under Section 69A of the IT Act if national security, public order or sovereignty are at risk.

Alongside these measures, officials highlighted initiatives to support digital creators, such as the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (Waves) 2025, the Create in India Challenges, the Waves Bazaar marketplace for creators, and Waves OTT, a Prasar Bharati platform that helps promote and monetise regional content.