I&B Ministry
India cracks down on gaming addiction, inspired by Australia’s ban move
Mumbai: In a bold move to tackle the rising concerns of online gaming addiction among children, the Indian government has drawn inspiration from Australia’s under-16 social media ban to craft its own set of protective measures. Picture a brighter, safer digital playground—where kids explore responsibly, shielded from the traps of addiction and harmful content. With fresh policies and advisories, India is taking a joyful leap towards making the internet a safer, more accountable space for its youngest users.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has enacted the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021) to ensure that intermediaries, including social media platforms, adhere to strict due diligence obligations. These rules mandate that intermediaries refrain from hosting or publishing content that violates existing laws or promotes gambling, money laundering, or content harmful to children. Platforms are held accountable for the swift removal of unlawful information and addressing user grievances under these provisions.
Additionally, the Ministry of Education has issued advisories for parents and teachers on overcoming the downsides of online gaming. The advisories, issued in 2021, emphasise that unrestricted online gaming can lead to severe addiction, classified as a gaming disorder, and warn of the associated mental and physical stress on children. The government has recommended the widespread circulation of these advisories to raise awareness and encourage effective action among parents and educators.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has also taken proactive steps to regulate gaming advertisements. In its advisory to private satellite television channels, MIB stipulated guidelines that prohibit gaming advertisements from depicting individuals under 18 years of age. It further mandates disclaimers warning of financial risks and the addictive nature of gaming. Advertisements must avoid portraying gaming as an alternative employment option or as a marker of success.
In 2024, the MIB issued an additional advisory to media and social media platforms, urging them to refrain from broadcasting advertisements for online betting platforms. It also advised online intermediaries not to target such advertisements at Indian audiences.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken significant steps by establishing the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to provide a coordinated framework for law enforcement agencies addressing cybercrimes. The MHA also launched the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in) to allow the public to report cybercrimes, including those targeting children. A toll-free helpline, 1930, has been set up to assist citizens in lodging cybercrime complaints efficiently.
These initiatives represent the government’s multi-faceted approach to safeguarding children from the harmful effects of online gaming while ensuring a secure and accountable digital environment.
I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
