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New Delhi: The health ministry has made it mandatory for OTT programs to issue warning against tobacco. The ministry has also notified new rules in this regard. Now before any program on OTT, a warning against tobacco will have to be issued. Till now such warnings were issued even before the start of the film.
OTT platforms will now have to display anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers similar to the ones we see in movies shown in theaters and in television programmes. The OTT platform shall display an anti-tobacco health warning as a prominent static message at the bottom of the screen when tobacco products or their use are shown during the programme. The ministry was already considering this decision.
This can especially affect a minor in view of the increasing popularity of OTT platforms. In such a situation, a disclaimer related to smoking is necessary. Illness and mortality due to tobacco use are on the rise.
An official said the government has come out with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Rules, 2004 (COTPA) to discourage tobacco use by eliminating all direct and indirect tobacco advertisements. ) Has been applied.
He further said that by implementing regulations on OTT, India will become a global leader in tobacco regulation. In case of failure to comply with the new rules, the Ministries of Health, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology will issue notices to them giving them a reasonable opportunity.
As per the new rules, online curated content means any curated catalog of audio-visual content, other than news and current affairs, that is owned, licensed or contracted and made available by the publisher of the online curated content. This includes films, audio-visual programmes, documentaries, television programmes, serials, series, podcasts and the like.
