A Comparative Study on Ott Platform Censorship and Policies in India

Abstract

Theatre extends large-screen viewing experience with the utmost outcome of audio and visuals. Visual acuity delivered in any movie was felt solely with the well-built ambience in theatres. With digital upswing, handheld devices evolved with impressive features rendering a pleasing and comfortable atmosphere to watch movies."Anyone, Anywhere “phenomenon facilitated by gadget feature advancement stimulate a search for a new mode for visual experience eventually leading to OTT platforms. The Over the Top (OTT) platform created a heavy impact on the innovative drive to entertainment sectors. This visual content-based platform provides an option to choose content based on their needs and preferences. Bigflix, launched by Reliance (2008) is India's first OTT platform which is comprised of feature films, series, TV shows and documentaries. Rage and hype for OTT platforms increased with the Smartphone revolution which now tends to be the major visual entertainment medium. On November 9 2020, the Government of India amends the Business Allocation Act and adds two subsections 22A and 22B. Category 22A includes movies and audio-visual programs provided by online content providers. News and current affairs on online platforms fall under the new 22B category. On February 25, 2021, the government announced the regulatory code for OTT platforms. This study will analyse the different types of OTT platform censorship around the world and find out how censorship has been conducted in different countries. This censorship regulation will be compared to Indian regulation of OTT platforms. The study will proceed through quantitative analysis.