MIB issues advisory to OTT platforms on depictions of drug use

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a stern advisory to Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms, cautioning them against airing content that promotes or glorifies the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The advisory, which comes in response to concerns over the potential influence of such content on young viewers, urges OTT platforms to be "mindful of their social responsibility" and to ensure that their content does not glamourise or promote the consumption of psychoactive substances in any form.

Platforms have been advised to incorporate public health messages and disclaimers, educating viewers on the dangers of drug abuse, particularly in programmes where drug use is part of the storyline.

Referring to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the ministry stated that a publisher should not transmit, publish or exhibit any content that is prohibited under any law for the time being in force or has been prohibited by any court.

“Such a portrayal has serious repercussions, particularly regarding the potential influence on young and impressionable viewers… OTT platforms must ensure that the content they host does not glamourise or promote the consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in any form. Where drug use is a part of the narrative or the story, any depiction of such consumption as 'fashionable' or 'acceptable' in society must be avoided,” the advisory stated.

They have also been encouraged to support the creation and promotion of content, including documentaries, that depict the adverse impact on health due to drug abuse as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.

“Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in further regulatory scrutiny, especially in light of the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), 1985,” reads the advisory.

The OTT platforms have been on the radar of the MIB for a very long time and the government has been mulling ways to regulate their content. However, the platforms and content producers have been vehemently opposing the move citing freedom of expression