New Delhi: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), representing major streaming services including Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, have voiced their concerns over the feasibility of implementing the Centre’s new tobacco warning rules on streaming platforms. The association also argues that these rules would encroach upon content creators’ freedom of expression.
As part of India’s ongoing efforts to combat tobacco usage, the health ministry recently mandated that streaming platforms must display static health warnings during smoking scenes within a three-month timeframe. Additionally, the Centre intends for streaming services to incorporate at least 50 seconds of anti-tobacco disclaimers, including audio-visual elements, at the beginning and middle of each programme.
In a closed-door discussion involving prominent companies such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney, and Mukesh Ambani’s streaming platform JioCinema, executives expressed concerns over the impracticality of these regulations. They fear that implementing such rules would necessitate editing millions of hours of Indian and Hollywood content. Consequently, these companies are considering potential avenues for pushback, including the possibility of a legal challenge.
In a letter addressed to the health ministry, the IAMAI highlighted the immense volume of multilingual content available on these platforms, citing it as a significant obstacle to implementing the proposed warnings uniformly. The association has requested the health ministry to review these “onerous” regulations, pointing to a survey that suggests viewers are largely indifferent to smoking depictions in streaming content.
When approached for comments regarding the letter, the IAMAI and certain other groups initially remained silent on the matter, while Netflix and the health ministry have not responded yet.
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