New Delhi: The government on Wednesday clarified that content streamed on Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and continues to be regulated under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Responding to questions raised by Congress MP Dr. M. K. Vishnu Prasad in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan said the CBFC is a statutory authority constituted under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, with the mandate limited to examining and certifying cinematographic films meant for public exhibition.

Dr. Murugan informed the House that OTT content is governed by Part III of the IT Rules, 2021, which prescribes a Code of Ethics for digital content publishers. Under the Code, OTT platforms are required to ensure that content prohibited by law is not published and to undertake age-based classification in line with the guidelines laid down in the Rules.

He further said that the IT Rules provide for a three-tier institutional mechanism to ensure compliance with content-related norms and to address public grievances. The first level involves self-regulation by the publishers themselves, while the second level comprises self-regulating bodies constituted by the publishers. The third level provides for an oversight mechanism by the Central Government.

The minister added that grievances related to OTT content are forwarded to the concerned platforms for appropriate action under Level I of the redressal mechanism, as provided under the IT Rules, 2021.

The clarification comes amid ongoing debates over content regulation on digital streaming platforms and the role of statutory bodies in overseeing online content.