New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has constituted an informal panel to examine ways of regulating content on OTT streaming platforms, which it has described as a source of “cultural pollution” and moral concerns, The Indian Express reported on September 16.
According to sources cited by the newspaper, the panel was formed a few months ago and includes former vice-chancellors and RSS pracharaks associated with education and cultural fields. The group held its first meeting last month and is expected to prepare a proposal for the Union Ministry of Culture and other stakeholders in the central government.
An RSS source said the group believes that a mechanism similar to a censor board is required to address content considered inappropriate for families and young people. However, another source said there is no fixed deadline for the proposal and that consultations with legal experts will be held before its recommendations are finalised.
The initiative follows RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s criticism of OTT platforms during his Vijayadashami address in Nagpur on October 12, 2024. Bhagwat had argued that certain OTT content contributed to “moral corruption” and called for legal regulation.
The RSS initiative also draws on feedback from Kutumb Prabodhan, a Sangh activity focused on traditional family values, inter-generational relationships and social harmony.
Currently, theatrical films undergo certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. OTT platforms, meanwhile, are primarily governed by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, along with other applicable laws.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan told the Lok Sabha on July 22 that the government had disabled access to 50 OTT platforms over two years for allegedly displaying obscene content and violating provisions of various laws.
