Union Well being Ministry proposes obligatory, ‘non-skippable’ anti-tobacco spots on OTT platforms

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| Photograph Credit score: REUTERS

The Union Well being Ministry has proposed obligatory show of “non-skippable” anti-tobacco well being spots of at the very least 30 seconds and an audio-visual disclaimer on unwell results of tobacco use for 20 seconds on OTT platforms as quickly as one begins streaming them.

The Ministry lately launched draft amendments for anti-tobacco guidelines for over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

In accordance with the draft norms, all movies of Indian and international origin regardless of their Central Board of Movie Certification (CBFC) standing printed and launched on or after September 1, 2023 must show anti-tobacco well being spots of minimal 30 seconds period every firstly and center of the film.

It additionally proposed displaying anti-tobacco well being warnings as outstanding static messages on the backside of the display screen through the scenes that present use of tobacco merchandise in all content material.

“The Cigarette and different Tobacco Merchandise (Prohibition of Commercial and Regulation of Commerce and Commerce, Manufacturing, Provide and Distribution) Modification Guidelines 2024” amend the anti-tobacco guidelines that the ministry had issued in Might final yr.

The 2023 guidelines additionally said that each writer of on-line curated content material displaying tobacco merchandise must show anti-tobacco well being spots of a minimal of 30 seconds period every firstly and center of the movie, and show anti-tobacco well being warning as a outstanding static message on the backside of the display screen through the interval of the show of tobacco merchandise or their use.

However the 2023 guidelines didn’t explicitly use the time period “movies” and individually element guidelines for them.

The draft guidelines issued this yr on September 13 state, “All content material printed within the on-line curated content material platforms, shall show non-skippable and anti-tobacco well being spots of minimal 30 seconds period and non-skippable audio-visual disclaimer on the unwell results of tobacco use, of minimal 20 seconds upon opening the platforms of the publishers of the web curated content material.”

“So mainly streaming platforms now must present these well being spots and audio-visual disclaimers not simply to start with and in the midst of the programmes however as quickly as somebody opens up the streaming platform Within the present present guidelines, the well being spots and audio-visual disclaimers will not be displayed instantly after opening the platforms,” defined an official supply.

Making public well being a precedence, India, in Might final yr, grew to become the primary nation to make it obligatory for OTT platforms to show anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers much like these seen in motion pictures screened in theatres and tv programmes.

The OTT guidelines 2023 grew to become operative from September 1, 2023. Beneath these guidelines, all OTT platforms equivalent to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Jio Cinema, Sony LIV, ALTBalaji, Voot and many others. should show anti- tobacco well being spots, anti- tobacco well being warnings as outstanding static messages and an audio-visual disclaimer on the ill-effect of tobacco use as prescribed within the guidelines.