Netflix, Amazon, eight others to be part of IAMAI’s grievance council

NEW DELHI: To comply with the government’s rule to set up a redressal system for complaints against content, as many as 10 video streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, ALTBalaji, and MX Player, among others, have agreed to join the new Digital Publishers Content Grievances Council (DPCGC) formed by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

The announcement comes a day after broadcaster-led streaming platforms joined the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of broadcasters, which has been renamed the Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), as it expands its purview to cover digital platforms to bring all digital and OTT (over-the-top) streaming firms under one roof.

IBDF said it will form a self-regulatory body, as per the IT Rules, called Digital Media Content Regulatory Council (DMCRC) for digital OTT platforms, which is a second-tier complaints mechanism.

In light of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, IAMAI is establishing the DPCGC as the level-II self-regulatory body for publishers of online curated content (OCC), the body said in a statement on Friday.

The grievances council will have a body comprising publishers of online curated content as members and an independent grievance redressal board-- consisting of a chairperson and six members.

The board will be chaired by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge, and the members will comprise eminent persons from the media and entertainment industry, experts from various fields including child rights, minority rights, and media law, IAMAI said in a statement.

The board will oversee and ensure the alignment and adherence to the Code of Ethics by content creators, provide guidance to entities on the same, address grievances which have not been resolved by the publisher within 15 days and hear grievances or appeals filed by the complainant(s).

“IAMAI and members of the DPCGC are deeply committed to protecting consumer rights and empowering consumers with the right tools to make informed decisions, as well as have their grievances addressed. The formation of this body is an important step towards consumer choice, as more and more people are viewing content online,” Subho Ray, president, IAMAI, said in a statement. IAMAI has notified the ministry of information and broadcasting that they are in the process of forming the grievances council and has also shared a list of publishers who have confirmed to become members.

As of now, it is unclear whether members of DIGIPUB News India Foundation, a representative body of digital news publishers, will join the body. They did not respond to Mint’s queries on their plans to comply with the new IT Rules. DIGIPUB members include news websites such as The Wire, Newslaundry, The Quint and The News Minute, among others.

In February this year, the government of India had notified regulations for digital and OTT platforms, introducing a three-tier mechanism for the same. While the first two tiers bring in place a system of self-regulation by the platform itself and by the self-regulating bodies of content publishers, the third calls for an oversight mechanism by the central government.

According to the directives, platforms are required to appoint a grievance redressal officer based in India who shall be responsible for all grievances received and shall take a decision on the same within 15 days. Secondly, there may be one or more self-regulatory bodies of publishers with not more than six members; headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or High Court or an independent eminent person which will have to register with the MIB.

Platforms are also required to classify their content according to different age groups: “U” or universal rating, and others for 7+, 13+, 16+ and then 18+ age group.