India says video streaming platforms should be held responsible for content

India’s technology minister on Thursday said video streaming services have to be “responsible and accountable” for their shows and movies, defending rules introduced last month that regulate such content.

India tightened its grip on social media firms such as Facebook and Twitter. The rules, called the “Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code”, also require firms such as Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video to classify content into categories based on viewers’ age.

The rules come at a time digital media or over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix face growing complaints in India about obscene content or hurting religious sentiments. OTT delivers content to viewers directly by the internet.