Anti-tobacco warnings now mandatory on OTT platforms

India became the first country on Wednesday to make it mandatory for OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers as seen in movies screened in theatres and television programmes.

The Union health ministry notified the amendments in the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2004 on the World No Tobacco Day.

According to the notification, the publishers of online curated content displaying tobacco products or their use will be required to display anti-tobacco health spots of a minimum of 30 seconds each at the beginning and middle of a programme.


The over-the-top (OTT) platforms shall also be required to exhibit an anti-tobacco health warning as a prominent static message at the bottom of the screen when tobacco products or their use are displayed during a programme.

Also, an audio-visual disclaimer of a minimum of 20 seconds on the ill-effects of tobacco use will have to be displayed at the beginning and middle of a programme, a source said.

"The anti-tobacco health warning message as specified in clause (b) of sub-rule (1) shall be legible and readable, with font in black colour on white background and with the warnings 'tobacco causes cancer' or 'tobacco kills'," the notification stated.

Besides, the anti-tobacco health warning messages, health spots and audio-visual disclaimers will have to be in the same language as the one used in the online curated content.

The display of tobacco products or their use in online curated content shall not extend to the display of brands of cigarettes or other tobacco products or any form of tobacco product placement and display of tobacco products or their use in promotional materials.

According to a senior ministry official, the decision was taken following several meetings with the information and broadcasting ministry and other stakeholders.