It has been a huge time since the OTT acquired a great place in the hearts of audiences. Earlier there were a few digital platforms that keep a strong place in the content market but now amid the Coronavirus pandemic and with the introduction of new Indian OTT services has given tough competition to the international streaming giants. Series like Mirzapur, Sacred Games, Pataal Lok has a different impact on the viewers not because of their theme and story-line but also due to their uncensored scenes and bold dialogues. Last year, there were reports of the Government considering a law to censor streaming platforms like Netflix, Hotstar and Amazon Prime after several court cases and complaints were filed alleging that some content was `obscene or insulted religious sentiment`.

Now, the Center government has issued an order for bringing online news portals and content providers under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. For this, on November 10th, President Ram Nath Kovind has issued a gazette notification which stated that “films and audio-visual programs made available by online content providers” and “news and current affairs content on online platforms” would be brought under the heading “Ministry of Information and Broadcasting” in the Second Schedule of Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.

Shockingly, even the news and current affairs content on online platforms available online has been added and will fall under the sub-category of 'Films' and not 'Press'.

According to the CCG report said, "Though online media space (both news and non-news) seems like the Wild West in terms of the volume of content and the kind of transgressions that proliferate on the platform, Indian laws are already quite strict on the online space. Many punitive measures that were introduced by the UPA government have been taken forward by the NDA government, the report observed."

The report also pointed out that under Section 69A of the IT Act, online content can also be and is taken down entirely. Though this section too was challenged in court, it was upheld as constitutional. The report said, the process of issuing blocking orders is `opaque and the reasoning offered in orders is not subject to public scrutiny`.

Well, with the gazette notification it is official that government is quite serious about the content which is streaming on the digital platforms, and now those who watch the content now have to watch it uncensored as they usually watch it on TV and cinema halls.