OTT platforms will continue to remain outside the jurisdiction of CBFC

The government clarified in the Lok Sabha that content on over-the-top (OTT) platforms will continue to remain outside the jurisdiction of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Speaking in response to questions from Dr. M K Vishnu Prasad, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan said OTT content is governed under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Under these rules, OTT platforms are required to follow a Code of Ethics, including avoiding content prohibited by law and implementing age-based classification for their offerings.


To ensure compliance, the rules establish a three-tier institutional framework:

Level I: Self-regulation by the content publishers themselves
Level II: Oversight by self-regulating bodies formed by the publishers
Level III: Supervision and intervention by the Central Government

Complaints regarding OTT content are directed first to the respective platforms under Level I, allowing publishers to take corrective action in line with the IT Rules, 2021.

Dr. Murugan emphasised that this framework balances creative freedom with legal safeguards, ensuring that content regulation on digital platforms is handled through a structured grievance redressal process rather than CBFC oversight.