Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>Regulation of OTT platforms and digital news providers will now fall under the gambit of the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry instead of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY).</li><li>With the winter session of parliament right around the corner, many are nervous that this could indicate more than just the changing of the guard. </li><li>Here are the burning unanswered questions that the online community is wondering about.</li></ul>The regulation of OTT platforms like <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, HotstarDisney+, Amazon Prime Video and others has been pulled from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) and handed off to the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry. Aside from the changing of the guard, the government is yet to shed light on what it actually means for the OTT channel and news content curators themselves. One can only assume that a new regulatory framework will be put in place to address the challenges that have cropped in recent years. The winter session of Parliament is also right around the corner. “Although there is little to no clarity about what this entails for different types of intermediaries, platform and content creators, it portends a regime with more interference from the Ministry of I&amp;B and less reliance on self-regulation by the OTT platforms extending the censorship heavy legacy to the Internet,” technology lawyer and founder of the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) told Business Insider. Despite the ambiguity, Internet Freedom Foundation chair and founder of SaveTheInternet Raman Chima, also believes that this is more than just a reorganisation of departments. “It does indicate government intent. That is definitely worrying. This change was made without any proper public consultation,” he explained on <a href="https://twitter.com/tame_wildcard/status/1326553154893217795">Twitter</a>. Here are some of the unanswered questions around what the change in regulations could mean for OTT platforms and news content providers: <ul><li>Will the government be holding a discussion with stakeholders before implementing new regulations?</li></ul>Some experts believe that there is a trend in the making. First, the government added a regulatory structure around foreign direct investment (FDI) and now, it’s looking to regulate content. <ul><li>Will the new regulations be on par with current regulations currently in place?</li></ul>The key obstacle they will face is that, at a technical level, broadcast, print and digital aren’t the same. This will make treating them as the same increasingly difficult. <ul><li>How will user-generated content be regulated on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and others?</li></ul>While OTT platforms curate content and are responsible for what goes up on the platform, YouTube and Facebook are ‘intermediaries’. This means that they do take any responsibility for the content that is posted on their site, and instead pass the buck onto individual users. <ul><li>How will digital news media be defined? Will personal channels like Dhruv Rathi and Akash Banerjee come under digital news media?</li></ul>The mediums used to dispense the news in the digital era expands well beyond the written word or even structured news publications. There are influencers like Dhruv Rathi analysing the news, personalised newsletters that people can subscribe to, instagram alerts and so much more. The new regulations will have to define what amounts to news, and what does not. <ul><li>Will every news organisation on the internet will have to register itself?</li></ul>Not every news publication exists in the brick-and-mortar world, some are only digital. In fact, the freedom to register a website and dispense content at a minimal cost is of the primary pros of being on the internet. But non-digital news organisations have to register and get government approval before they can take off. If the same applies to the online world, it should lead to a drastic cut in the number of publications able to report the news. <ul><li>Will this mean nobody can post on YouTube or Facebook if they’re not registered?</li></ul>In addition to channels and influencers, day-to-day users also express their opinion and share the news online. Like FM channels, will this mean that those who are not registered will no longer be allowed to post about the news on social networking hubs like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube? Will generic vlogs be flagged or taken down should they make mention of any current events? <ul><li>Will there be a cap on subscriptions and memberships, or a minimum rate that can be charged?</li></ul>News publications and individuals are also offering newsletters and subscriptions. The new slew of regulations hold the potential to cap the number of people who can sign up. They could also dictate a ceiling price that would limit how much can be charged for such services. <ul><li>Is the government going to block any news outfit or OTT that’s not registered in India?</li></ul>In addition to the publications in India, it’s uncertain what the regulations will mean for foreign entities. While they do report on India, without registering with the government on par with print regulations the government may block access. <ul><li>Will content rules for OTT platforms now be the same as the ones for television channels?</li></ul>Television channels have to adhere to strict rules about what can and cannot be said while OTT platforms do not. This has been one of the critical reasons behind the success of shows like Sacred Games, or Mirzapur. <ul><li>Will movies that release exclusively on the internet now require a certification from the licensing board?</li></ul>Movies that get released online don’t need to be licensed by Central Board of Film Certification. But with the I&amp;B Ministry at the helm, they may have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the board, which many fear will restrict creative expression. The way news is disseminated is also diversifying. Publications have alerts on WhatsApp and Telegram, others have personalised newsletters, and most are spread across difficult mediums — from text to video to podcasts. Individual states already have anti fake-news task forces within their ranks that have thus far proven ineffective, other than in cases on anti-government news deemed to be misleading. Given the wide array of complications in implementing blanket regulations, the task will be nearly impossible to execute. So, what remains to be seen, is what the government’s intent is behind bringing a new regulatory authority for OTT platforms and news content providers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-photos-will-no-longer-offer-free-and-unlimited-photo-uploads-starting-june-next-year/articleshow/79184955.cms">Google Photos' most endearing feature is going out the window starting June next year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/psu-bank-employees-wage-revision-finalised-after-three-years-of-waiting-only-a-1500-increase-in-salary-for-officers/articleshow/79166497.cms">PSU bank employees wage revision finalised after three years of waiting — only a ₹1,500 increase in salary for officers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/instagram-down-users-complain-of-frozen-timelines-and-likes/articleshow/79146012.cms">Instagram down for a second consecutive day — Facebook is working on a fix but has not disclosed what's wrong</a>

Unanswered questions as regulation of OTT platforms and digital news providers moves from one government department to another

<ul><li><keyword id="5293670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTT-platforms">OTT platforms</keyword> and <keyword id="10257445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="news-content-providers">news content providers</keyword> in India will no longer be regulated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) but by the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry instead. </li><li>The changing of the guard comes with its own set of challenges like figuring out how user-generated content will be handled versus curated content.</li><li>The <keyword id="57751" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IB-ministry">I&amp;B Ministry</keyword> will also have to figure out how to navigate the multilingual landscape where more and more players are popping up by the day.</li></ul><keyword id="2976376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Video">Amazon Prime Video</keyword>, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar and other over-the-top (OTT) platforms will no longer fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Instead, their content will be regulated by the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry, according to a notification signed by India's President Ram Nath Kovind. This is contrary to the ‘self regulation’ that the platforms prefer. However, the move has not come as a surprise. “Convergence of various ministries is extremely necessary with changes that are coming only in the country but also beyond,” said Amit Khare, secretary of the I&amp;B Ministry, during a <a href="https://eframes.24x7attend.in/">FICCI webinar</a> back in July when he hinted that a changing of the guard may be in the works. <div type="twitter" handle="barandbench" handlename="Bar &amp; Bench" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1304761912068984833/5-qPfQOb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="295" retweetcount="74" status="Cabinet Secretariat amends Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules to bring online news and current affa… https://t.co/JwWP7pEVYN" createdat="1605072916000" id="1326398066203758592"></div> Distinguishing between user-generated content and curated content According to the Counterpoint analyst Tarun Pathak, the change in regulation marks a significant change. But the challenge now will be to distinguish between streaming platforms that curate content — like Netflix, Amazon Prime and others — and platforms that host user-generated content, which includes the likes of YouTube and Facebook. The latter are deemed ‘intermediaries’ under the IT Act and do not have active control over the content available on such platforms. The IT Act also recognizes this distinction between different platforms. It is uncertain as of right now whether that same distinction will be made under the I&amp;B Ministry's rule as well. The surge in online content The regulatory regimes for platforms in India — print, radio, television, films, and now, OTT — have largely been developed as per the platform. Some are self-regulated, some are pre-regulated, some are post-regulated and one still stands unregulated. Until now the likes of Amazon, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar and others fell under the jurisdiction of the MeitY since they are digital solutions. Moreover, at the time of the formation of the IT Act, the OTT platforms had limited penetration. And, since then, their content has been largely unregulated with the exception of any self-regulation they put in place for themselves. The explosion in use of these platforms due to cheap smartphones and affordable data tariffs made the debate on regulation inevitable. “As many platforms are user content-driven and multilingual, it is almost impossible to set up a film like certification system. The internet by nature is free to circulate content, and there is always a very thin line between regulation and censorship,” Tanu Banerjee, the Media &amp; Entertainment Partner at Induslaw, told Business Insider. “In my view, it should be a collaborative approach between the Govt and OTT platforms players to come up with a mechanism to make the internet a better place for its users.” I&amp;B vs MeitY Two years ago, I&amp;B formed a committee to devise ways to regulate online media and other Internet content was <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ministry-of-information-and-broadcasting-panel-to-be-replaced-soon/story-xZEXuPqIyoitGmRyFIt3gN.html">disbanded</a> after the Prime Minister’s cabinet was reshuffled. Its mandate was handed over to a panel overseen by MeitY. Then earlier this, when the topic of regulation was broached again, MeitY asserted that the Information Technology (IT) Act 2000 and its intermediary guidelines governed the conduct for all third party content — including content pushed by OTTs. This meant that the regulation of online platforms stands with MeitY, not the I&amp;B Ministry. I&amp;B, on the other hand, has been asking streaming services to come up with a code of conduct and finalise the details of the Digital Content Complaints Committee (DCCC), similar to the Broadcast Content Complaints Committee (BCCC). It was only in September 2020, that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/self-regulation-code-adopted-by-disney-hotstar-amazon-prime-and-other-ott-platforms-what-is-this-code/articleshow/78009955.cms">17 large OTT players signed a self regulation code to govern content on their platform</a>, which included the mandate to have a DCCC set up. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/checkout-here-bihar-assembly-election-2020-results-and-updates-online/articleshow/79142084.cms">Bihar Election Results 2020: Final tally puts NDA in the majority with 125 seats as RJD remains the single largest party</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/americans-cant-resist-the-alibaba-singles-day-sales-us-tops-in-gmv-for-sales-from-the-chinese-e-commerce-giant-so-far/articleshow/79165246.cms">Americans can’t resist the Alibaba Singles’ Day Sales – US tops in GMV for sales from the Chinese e-commerce giant so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/psu-bank-employees-wage-revision-finalised-after-three-years-of-waiting-only-a-1500-increase-in-salary-for-officers/articleshow/79166497.cms">PSU bank employees wage revision finalised after three years of waiting — only a ₹1,500 increase in salary for officers</a>

The likes of Hotstar, Netflix and even news content providers will now be regulated by the I&B Ministry, contrary to what the platforms would like

<ul><li>The pandemic and the ensuing lockdown has changed our lives, perhaps forever. It has brought about many behavioural changes among consumers. While some were temporary, there are many that will perhaps become permanent.</li><li>People discovered the many conveniences of <keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword> platforms during the last 2 years and the sector is only expected to grow from here.</li><li>Baskar Subramanian, Co-founder and CEO, <keyword id="751982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amagi" source="Orion">Amagi</keyword> writes why OTT is getting consumer love and why the streaming media is here to stay. </li></ul>The pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns completely transformed our entertainment experience. From 'Let's go for a good movie', we moved to 'What should we watch on <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>?'. Movie premiers and live sporting events like IPL and others have moved to OTT. For example, Netflix released the Kangana Ranaut starrer Thalaivi and Zee5 released Bob Biswas starring Amitabh Bachchan exclusively on OTT platforms. Homegrown web series like The Family Man, Sacred Games, Aarya, Special Ops, Aashram, Mirzapur and more undoubtedly elevated the popularity of OTT platforms among the tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z population who had embraced OTT over Cable TV or DTH subscriptions even before the onset of the pandemic. Post the pandemic, however, the trend has only increased, fuelled by the many conveniences that OTT offers over traditional broadcast. With streaming TV, the fight for the remote is laid to rest. Every person in a household can watch their favorite shows on their personal devices. Content can be viewed even while travelling, and consumers are spoilt for choice with languages, content variety, and on-demand viewing. Consumers have made their preferences clear - more people are cutting the cord, shifting from paid TV subscriptions to internet-based streaming services. Boston Consulting Group predicts that the OTT content market is at an inflection point in India and is likely to reach a market size of $5 billion by 2023. From just two OTT platform providers in 2012 to about 40 players at present, the OTT revolution has come a long way in India. Estimates from Phando Corp suggest that monthly active users (MAUs) for India’s OTT video sector have grown at a blistering rate of 300% since 2019 to reach 680 million in 2021, with rural and tier 2 &amp; 3 cities consumption reaching an 80% share. West Versus India Several factors including the widespread availability of broadband infrastructure, the ubiquity of mobile phones and other connected portable devices, and quest for personalised experiences have spurred the adoption of OTT consumption in the Western world. At the same time, technology investments, the emergence of new apps, features, and independent platforms for OTT content have also been growth drivers. Tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Apple, YouTube, connected device providers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, and studios such Disney, MGM, Paramount, Sony are among the major corporations who have entered the OTT space, giving a plethora of programming choices to the consumers in the West. The growth in OTT platforms combined with the subsequent content boom has seen vernacular content from different regions gaining international popularity. South Korean dystopian drama broke all records by becoming the most watched content on Netflix by netizens around the world. Similarly, Indian dramas such as Sacred Games and Delhi Crime were viewed and enjoyed by a global audience. As a result, all eyes are now firmly set on opportunities in emerging economies, specifically in the Indian subcontinent, with major players from the west entering the foray with attractive subscription offers, and diverse content catalogues. Some have chosen to collaborate with or acquire local brands to establish a firmer foothold in the region. For example, with the launch of Disney Plus in the US back in 2019, the streaming service promptly expanded to many other countries, including India. However, instead of getting a dedicated app for Indian users, the company acquired the Hotstar streaming platform and soon rebranded to Disney+ Hotstar. The coming together of Disney and Star TV Network (20th Century Fox) attracted tens of millions of subscribers in India and provided them access to a premium catalogue of content from Disney and Star TV. One of the challenges in India is the ability to monetize online content. Research suggests that the Advertising-led Video on Demand (AVOD) model is far more popular than Subscription-led video on demand (SVOD) models given the reluctance of viewers in India to pay for online content. While about 60% of total video viewing in India happens on YouTube, Netflix has 40 Mn monthly active users. Disney Plus Hotstar too has reached the critical mass with its freemium model, well-supported by relevant collaborations, such as sports (read cricket), which drives volume. Also, a KPMG study reveals that, unlike the West, only 10% of viewers access OTT platforms for watching original content. Rather, OTT is used primarily for the convenience of anytime and personal viewing of movies, music, sports or to catch-up with TV content. Driving OTT Growth in India As a country with a population of 1.23 billion, India is the next big market for OTT platforms. Some of the growth drivers for OTT players in India, based on the precedent from the West include: ● Investments in Content Video streaming services are expected to spend around ₹1,920 crore to create original content for India in 2021, driven in part by the sharp rise in audiences during the 2020 lockdown. The platforms will further increase spends, including on sports, to ₹30,000 crore, during 2021-25, according to the latest FICCI-EY media and entertainment industry report. Around 500 original titles are likely to be released in 2021 across platforms, as opposed to 385 titles in 2019 and 220 in 2020. The investment in original content makes sense given that viewers are learning to pay for the content they consume, especially original content. In 2020, 29 million subscribers paid for 53 million OTT video subscriptions (not counting subscriptions bundled along with data plans), a figure that is estimated to increase to 39 million subscribers for 71 million subscriptions in 2021. Netflix has more than 40 originals scheduled for 2021 and is expanding its slate by nearly three times compared to 2020. Amazon Prime Video has 50 local originals in various stages of development and 30 in various stages of production. Demand for original content will likely double by 2023 compared to 2019 levels. ● Content – the New Battlefield for Viewers Increasing number of consumers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities have spurred the production of regional content. Alt Balaji has seen a change after the pandemic. Before the pandemic, the top 8 cities in India contributed to 70% of their total audience; post-April 2020, 60% of the traffic is from other tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Old favourite shows are being re-aired on OTT platforms, while investments in new content production continue. Recently Amazon announced the acquisition of MGM, for $8.45 billion, giving it access to MGM’s library of 4000 film titles and 17,000 TV shows. We have witnessed the emergence of a wide variety of content including Indian content since India has a diverse market with over a dozen languages that are widely spoken across the country. OTT players are shifting their focus towards localisation of their platforms, to be able to connect with the Indian users, be it in terms of regional languages, geography and user experience etc. India already has about 40 OTT players and 10 music streaming apps in existence catering to various entertainment and media demands. This has opened the doors for OTT platforms to promote regional and hyperlocal content. In fact, a leading OTT player recently released 11 shows during the lockdown- all locally curated shows. The share of regional language consumption on OTT platforms is expected to cross 50% of total time spent by 2025, easing past Hindi at 45%. ● Government Regulations The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has, in the past year, stressed the need for some form of regulation of OTT Platforms to streamline the sector. In this regard, the MIB recently notified the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. The new rules require OTT platforms to set up a robust three-tier grievance redressal mechanism. The first level will comprise regulation by the OTT Platform itself through a grievance officer. The second level will be an institutional self-regulatory body formed by publishers of content and their associations. This self-regulatory body will comprise industry experts headed by a retired Supreme Court/ High Court judge /eminent personality in the relevant field. At the third level is an inter-department committee constituted by the MIB that will provide oversight and hear appeals for decisions taken at level two or if a complaint is referred to the inter-department committee by MIB. Regulation might help improve the quality of content in the future. ● The Future of OTT - New Applications and Content Innovations There is no doubt that the future of <keyword id="6357922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="television" source="Orion">television</keyword> is OTT, and the industry is at a nascent stage. Content is the force that defines the direction of evolution in the industry. New applications such as learning, education and fitness are being explored. Pricewaterhouse Coopers reported that in 2018, more than 40% of new internet users in the world were children. Edtech platforms like Byjus and Unacademy use the OTT streaming approach for education. Similarly, possible applications for learning management in corporations are being explored. While fitness was never considered an activity that could be done remotely, the pandemic saw this notion change. According to a Bobble.AI report, besides video conferencing apps and websites, fitness applications such as Lose Weight, Cure.fit, recorded a 104.53% rise in daily active users. Video streaming platforms are also creating content to cater to this trend. Disney+ Hotstar has partnered with Brilliant Wellness, to introduce content from its fitness experts, yoga, and spiritual gurus. -- India’s large population and relatively young age demographics make the business environment dynamic and interesting. Digital savvy young consumers in India are spread over a wide geography and have a vast range of preferences, languages and appreciate multi-cultural entertainment. As content and technology come together to create a solution that caters to this unique business environment, OTT and streaming media are here to stay.

How India is ‘Cutting the Cord’ to drive an OTT revolution

<ul><li>From buying groceries to ordering a paracetamol, the lockdown forced the entire nation to avail digital services. </li><li>It has opened up an opportunity for Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms to rise to the situation and curate a seamless streaming experience for their consumers as they are quarantined 24x7.</li><li>Shashank Singh, CEO &amp; Founder, <keyword id="9574458" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="flyx">FLYX</keyword> writes how innovation in storyline is the key factor that is fuelling the growth of OTT platforms and why OTT needs to be censorship-free. </li></ul>Times are tough for businesses across industries, including the entertainment industry. Though theatres have been opened with limited capacity, the unprecedented growth and breakthrough of OTT platforms have been undeniably unparalleled. Even though the charm of cinemas and going to a theatre can never be replaced by streaming platforms, it is interesting to acknowledge and recognize how far we have come along in our content-viewing journey. During the past few months of the global pandemic, people staying at home around the world have turned to various streaming services for entertainment. The once advocated hypothesis that there are not enough hours in the day to consume content has changed, and streaming services worldwide are seeing a<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/27/21195358/streaming-netflix-disney-hbo-now-youtube-twitch-amazon-prime-video-coronavirus-broadband-network"> huge spike in traffic.</a> According to a report by ACT Fibernet called ‘State of Internet Traffic Trend’, India saw a staggering 55% hike in overall streaming traffic during the lockdown1. Various industry reports throw light on the popularity of homegrown OTT platforms. Indian player Disney+Hotstar has the most number of subscribers, followed by Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. This is mainly due to the local language content available on Disney+Hotstar that appeals to the majority of Indians.2 According to a recent PwC report, India is currently the world’s fastest growing OTT (over-the-top streaming) market, and is all set to emerge as the world’s sixth-largest by 2024. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.6% over the next four years to touch revenues of $2.9 billion. With covid-19 pandemic resulting in a seven-month shutdown of movie theatres, several producers have taken their films directly to digital platforms which has seen OTT platforms gaining at the expense of cinemas. In 2018, SVoD revenues were a third of India’s total box office revenue but the shift of eyeballs to digital platforms in the medium to long term will ensure India’s movie box office falls by 2.6% over the next four years as SVoD grows by 30.7%. Using technology to gain competitive edge Content is one of the most important factors that makes people subscribe to a streaming video service, but another equally important factor is the ease of use. This is where technology comes into play. Deloitte in its recent <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/digital-media-trends-consumption-habits-survey.html">digital trends survey</a> found that streaming during Covid-19 compared to the pre-pandemic market is not so much ‘before and after’ as it is ‘before and faster’. People are signing up for services quickly and are leaving services even faster. With almost every streaming service offering free trials, consumers are lapping up the trials. However, the real test in retention will come down to technology. Streaming providers have to create a seamless experience for content viewing, and it starts with content discovery. Leaders in this market should look to invest more in technology by offering a great search experience. This means not only making it fast, but also very personalized. Providers will have to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand the consumer’s intent and offer the right content at the right time. Streaming Content and Censorship With so much content being produced and added to streaming platforms every day, there has been a growing issue about content censorship across the world. Platforms such as Netflix and Amazon, among others, are receiving <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/a35jna/netflix-and-amazon-may-have-to-censor-explicit-content-in-india-soon">content removal notices</a> from various governments and authorities. Recently, the debate about regulation and censorship is heating up in India. Patal Lok on Netflix in India has been surrounded by controversy because of violence, sexual content and portrayal of the hypocrisy of upper caste men. Rasbhari too has created a furore because of its sexual content. While currently there is no censorship of OTT platforms, this is likely to change in the future. The Information and Broadcast Ministry of India is proposing that OTT platforms fall under its purview so that they can be regulated just as other media such as TV, radio, films, etc.4 The Future Path Innovation in storyline is the key factor that is fuelling the growth of OTT platforms, and it is currently free from any regulation or censorship before it hits your favourite device. Censorship kills creativity, and this can be easily seen by how good the content of new streaming shows is versus content released in theatres. Streaming content should ideally follow the food industry model, meaning series/ movies should have full disclosures about its contents and allow the consumer to decide if they want to purchase or watch it. Currently, all major <keyword id="10213289" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="streaming-players">streaming players</keyword> are following their own standards. What we need is a regulatory body that standardizes these disclosures and uses technology to audit for compliance, without censoring any content. Here again, artificial intelligence and machine learning could play a big role in automatically classifying the content and generating full disclosures. The next decade in streaming will be very exciting and also very challenging. Winners will not only be decided by who has the best content but also who has the most advanced technology to make the service more intelligent and super easy to use. Ultimately, the streaming wars will empower consumers and revolutionize how they consume media.

OTT: Technology, censorship and the future

<ul><li>The Indian <keyword id="1245953" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTT">OTT</keyword> industry which was roughly of the size of $1.7 billion (both Video and Audio) in FY20 has the potential to grow to become a $15 billion industry over the next 9 to 10 years, according to independent transaction advisory firm RBSA Advisors.</li><li>The pandemic has given a big boost to the OTT industry.</li><li>The massive investments made by OTT services like <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, Amazon, Disney+ Hotstar and others in original as well as acquired content will help subscription video-on-demand make up a lion share of the total OTT revenues going forward.</li></ul>India's Over the Top (OTT) entertainment industry has the potential to grow to be a $15 billion industry over the next 9 to 10 years, according to independent transaction advisory firm RBSA Advisors. The size of the OTT market in FY20 stood in the range of $ 1.7 billion (both Video and Audio) and it is burgeoning into a multi-billion-dollar industry, cannibalizing into the established bastion of traditional television, radio and cinema auditorium forms of media and entertainment. With access to better networks, digital connectivity and smartphones, OTT platforms in India have increasingly attracted subscribers on a concurrent basis. Apart from top favourites like Disney+ Hotstar, <keyword id="2976376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Video">Amazon Prime Video</keyword> and Netflix, the space is seeing many local and regional OTT players, such as <keyword id="3163762" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="SonyLIV">SonyLIV</keyword>, <keyword id="3113913" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="VOOT">Voot</keyword>, <keyword id="6245082" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">Zee5</keyword>, <keyword id="2480506" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eros-Now">Eros Now</keyword>, ALTBalaji, Hoichoi and Adda Times, to name just a few. <keyword id="1257401" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajeev-shah">Rajeev Shah</keyword>, MD &amp; CEO RBSA Advisors, "Covid-19 has changed the way audience consume media. An undeniable trend surfaced in this period with the adoption of OTTs. The growing market and consumer appetite for content of choice available on OTT platforms fuelled this spurt. OTTs offer a never before consumer experience–choice of content, ease of access, choice of device/mediums (hand phone, laptop, tablet or TV screen), liberal censorship policy." Adds Shah, "We find ourselves in extraordinary times, where pandemic has had a negative effect on many traditional sectors. Conversely Covid has accelerated the shift in consumers' behaviour, pulling forward OTT disruption, otherwise which would have taken minimum half a decade." NV Capital Co-Founder and Managing Partner Vivek Menon adds, “India is the next bastion after US for boosting the subscriber base of International OTT players given the highly regulated environment of International OTT players in China. Add to that there are many international entrants like Comcast owned “Peacock” &amp; HBO sitting on the fence waiting to make their mark in India. Looking at this trend as well as the rapid rise of home-grown OTT providers, this industry will continue its strong growth momentum in the years to come.” The quality of content will always remain a significant driver of consumer growth. In recent years, we have witnessed a massive rise in original content being aired on OTT platforms. Apart from creating original content and facilitating binge-watching, networks and production houses have also begun to see value in getting rights to live events and performances. Audiences in India recently saw Filmfare and streaming social networks join forces for the first-ever OTT awards. This was a landmark event for India's media and entertainment industry. The massive investments made by OTT services like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ Hotstar and others in original as well as acquired content will help subscription video-on-demand make up a lion share of the total OTT revenues going forward. Further, the next wave of growth in the OTT landscape will come from tier 2,3,4 cities and the Indian language speaking population. Key Factors Driving the industry • India has the second-highest per capita consumption of online video in the world • Cheapest mobile data in the world at INR 18.5/GB (2015 - INR313/GB) • Growth in rural internet penetration • The number of smartphone users in India is increasing at astronomical rate •The average monthly data usage per user in India increased 20% year-on-year to 13.5 GB in December 2020 as Indians spent about five hours daily on a smartphone, as per the Mobile Broadband India Traffic Index (Mbit) 2021. • Smartphones with affordable data have also brought the vibrant native speakers base of 22 scheduled Indian languages from Tier 2, 3, 4 cities online and created a massive opportunity • The next wave of growth in the OTT landscape will come from our very own Tier 2,3,4 cities and the Indian language speaking population • The viewing habits of Indian consumers have evolved a lot in the last few years. While on the one hand, short-form video content consumption on smartphones and social platforms has been on the rise, binge-watching shows on various OTT platforms have also become more common on the other hand

India's OTT industry to be worth $15 billion by 2030: Report

<ul><li>The web series <keyword id="10079277" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="scam-1992">Scam 1992</keyword>, directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta is based on a book titled 'The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away.' </li><li>The series is about the famous stockbroker Harshad Mehta, popularly known as the 'Amitabh Bachchan of Stock Market.' </li><li>The web series has garnered a strong response on social media sites, making it one of Twitter's top trends. </li></ul>#Scam1992 has garnered a strong response on social media sites, making it one of Twitter's top trends. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, which premiered today on <keyword id="3163762" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="SonyLIV">SonyLIV</keyword>, is one of the highlighted topics of discussion not only among movie or web series enthusiasts but almost for everyone in the country. The web series, directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta is based on a book titled 'The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away' by journalist Debashis Basu and Sucheta Dalal. The series is about the famous stockbroker Harshad Mehta, popularly known as the 'Amitabh Bachchan of Stock Market.' Watch the trailer of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story here: <div type="Youtube" id="ISORfez27og" title="Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story | Official Trailer | Streaming from 09-10-2020" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ISORfez27og/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story — a brief look at the scandal Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story follows the meteoric rise and fall of the stockbroker, Harshad Mehta. It is the story of one of the biggest financial frauds carried out in 1992 that shook the Indian stock market and forced the market regulator to change the rules of the game on Dalal Street. Registered broker Harshad Mehta and his partners were accused of engaging in a massive stock manipulation on India's largest stock exchange, BSE, in 1992 by taking advantage of loopholes in the banking system. Mehta was accused of conspiring with the bank employees for obtaining fake bank receipts (BRs) issued, which he used in other banks to woo them to lend him money. He used these funds to <a href="https://www.thequint.com/explainers/where-is-the-rs-24000-crore-lost-in-the-harshad-mehta-securities-scam">buy a large amount of shares at a premium</a>. When veteran journalist Sucheta Dalal uncovered this scam, the banks realised that they owned the fake bank receipts. This led to the unraveling of the system. <div type="image" title="Harshad Mehta" msid="78571542" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Harshad Mehta &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Mehta was convicted by the Bombay High Court and India's apex court for his part in a financial scandal valued at ₹500 crores, which took place on the BSE. The scandal exposed various loopholes in the Indian banking system and the stock market transaction system, which also forced SEBI to introduce new rules to cover the loopholes. Out of 27 criminal charges brought against Mehta, he was only convicted of four, before he died in 2001. The cast of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story The web series cast includes Pratik Gandhi, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Satish Kaushik, Sharib Hashmi, Anant Mahadevan, Nikhil Dwivedi, KK Raina and Lalit Parimoo, among others. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/mira-nairs-a-suitable-boy-to-premiere-on-netflix-in-october/articleshow/78571222.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Mira Nair's 'A Suitable Boy' to premiere on Netflix in October</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/world-food-programme-wins-2020-nobel-peace-prize/articleshow/78571169.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">World Food Programme wins 2020 Nobel Peace Prize</a>

Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is streaming on SonyLIV— Here's what the infamous scam was all about

<ul><li>According to a survey by YouGov, 57% of Indians want the government to regulate OTT platforms. </li><li>Over 59% of Indians also feel that OTT platforms in the country have a lot of offensive content which is unsuitable for public viewing. </li><li>The Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting has reportedly held meetings with OTT heads in India to bring in certification. </li></ul>In what may come as a surprise, 57% of Indians want government regulation for OTT platforms like <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, Amazon Prime, <keyword id="2739840" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword>, Voot etc, according to a survey by YouGov. “Nine in ten (91%) said content- either on TV, films or online, should be regulated by the government, either always (as said by 40%) or sometimes (51%). Men are more likely than women to say they want content to be regulated always (45% vs 34%) while women are more likely to want <keyword id="6425075" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="censorship">censorship</keyword> sometime (56% vs 46%),” stated the report. However, the data was collected online by YouGov Omnibus from just a 1005 respondents, which is a very inadequate sample to draw such a conclusion. According to YouGuv, over 59% of Indians also feel that OTT platforms in the country have a lot of offensive content which is unsuitable for public viewing. Moreover, 47% find it uncomfortable to watch some content around family.Just 30% feel that due to regulation or censorship, the quality of content will suffer. This survey has come at a time when the Indian government is already planning regulation for OTT platforms in the country. The Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting reportedly held meetings with OTT heads in India to bring in certification. “I have sought suggestions on how to deal with this because there are regular feature films coming on OTT – good, bad and ugly. So, how to deal with this, who should monitor, who should regulate? There is no certification body for OTT platforms and likewise news portals also,” Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Minister of Information and Broadcasting told PTI in early <a href="https://www.thequint.com/news/india/regulation-needed-for-ott-platforms-says-prakash-javadekar">October</a>. However, the <keyword id="1508470" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="YouGov-survey">YouGov survey</keyword> has caused much furore on social media. People have slammed the organisation that puts out regular surveys for using such a small sample size. As shown by popular Indian satirise, a twitter poll had more respondents and the findings were the exact opposite to that of YouGov. <div type="twitter" handle="TheDeshBhakt" handlename="Akash Banerjee" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1183032210758213632/Riv27tyM_normal.jpg" favoritecount="362" retweetcount="94" status="Should the Govt. regulate / censor content for online streaming platforms?" createdat="1572672335000" id="1190500177183797248"></div>

 There are others whose arguments are a bit more nuanced. <div type="twitter" handle="KrisRa27" handlename="Ravichandran" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/665197656650612736/1N6iVFfE_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1" retweetcount="0" status="@_AdilHussain @businessinsider What is being defined as censorship needs to be defined as well. There are shows whi… https://t.co/EJYf7rUNmR" createdat="1573042095000" id="1192051064536625153"></div>

 And there are those who would happily surrender freedom of expression to be on the right side of power. <div type="twitter" handle="Ragini4nation" handlename="Ragini singh" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1162837541856264192/HGG2vSUJ_normal.jpg" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" status="@TheDeshBhakt Yes it is the need of hour. The kind of dirtiness online contents are spreading it is necessary for g… https://t.co/qYSd2y3PzO" createdat="1572672707000" id="1190501738693816320"></div>

 Netflix in particular has been at the receiving end of much criticism⁠ in recent months— after the second season of its popular series, The Sacred Games, and another one by the name Leila⁠— for having hurt Hindu religious sentiments. Sources told Business Insider that Netflix has decided to drop the planned second season for Leila. This may just be the beginning of a heated debate as the likes of Netflix, Amazon, Zee5, AltBalaji and their peers brace for tough negotiations with the government. This piece has been updated to include responses from some of the readers.

Surprise, surprise – Indians want censorship for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Adtech firm PubMatic is building a new ad product that's meant to help publishers sell ads in streaming TV apps and take on the merged Telaria and Rubicon. </li><li>PubMatic is one of many adtech firms looking to capitalize on the shift of ad dollars from linear to over-the-top television. </li><li>As privacy laws like California's Consumer Privacy Act and tech companies like Google clamp down on third-party data, PubMatic is also pitching publishers software that targets ads using IDs instead of cookies.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>Adtech companies are clamoring for a piece of connected-TV advertising.PubMatic, an adtech firm that helps publishers sell programmatic advertising, is now working on a product to help them capitalize on the rise of connected TVs while taking on rivals Telaria and Rubicon.PubMatic has a 40-person team - half of whom are engineers - building an OTT product that it plans to roll out in the first half of this year, CEO Rajeev Goel said. Goel wouldn't name any publishers that committed to it, but said the product is aimed at publishers that distribute content through apps on ad-supported streaming platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire and Sling TV.PubMatic made more than $100 million in 2019, with more than half of its business coming from mobile advertising. Thirty percent came from text-based display advertising and 20% from video. Goel said the firm wants to increase the video portion to 30% this year.Goel said PubMatic wants to solve <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ad-tech-execs-are-betting-big-on-ott-but-worry-that-ad-fraud-and-measurement-challenges-will-hold-back-advertisers-2019-4">issues like frequency capping,</a> which happens when the same ad is repeatedly served; and advertisers having their ads run too close to a competitor's. The idea is to use <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ad-tech-can-no-longer-handle-all-the-ads-available-for-sale-2017-7">header bidding technology,</a> a popular advertising tactic that allows multiple ad buyers to bid on web ad space at the same time, to OTT apps."We think there's a huge opportunity to bring header bidding into the CTV market," he said. "The big challenge is, how do you bring a TV-like experience into streaming?"Redwood City, Calif.-based PubMatic also opened an office in Los Angeles to be closer to entertainment publishers and hired former Telaria exec Craig Berlingo to head up its OTT work, Goel said.As cord-cutting and the number of new streaming services grows, firms <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/18-hottest-adtech-companies-of-2019-2019-12">including Innovid, TripleLift </a>and Telaria are also shifting their business models from ones based around display advertising to ones focused on connected TV. This year, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adtech-firms-rubicon-project-and-telaria-plan-to-merge-2019-12">Telaria and Rubicon Project are expected to merge</a> to scale the amount of OTT content that publishers can monetize.Goel described PubMatic's upcoming OTT product as a direct competitor with Telaria and Rubicon.<h2>PubMatic is trying to plan for the death of cookies</h2>PubMatic is also adapting to data and privacy changes. California's Consumer Privacy Act and Europe's General Data Protection Regulation make it harder for marketers to use people's data to pinpoint them with ads. Google and Apple have clamped down on the use of third-party cookies in browsers.As an alternative to cookies, a handful of adtech companies like LiveRamp, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/advertisers-react-to-the-trade-desks-privacy-friendly-id-2019-10">The Trade Desk,</a> Britepool and ID5 are building ID products that stitch together audience data for advertisers. IDs store information like geography and browsing and let advertisers pass that information to publishers and adtech companies without using cookies.PubMatic is pitching publishers on software that it says pulls in all of those IDs and can be used to help advertisers serve privacy-friendly ads.Goel said both new products will help PubMatic survive the ongoing adtech consolidation. Advertisers are paring the number of adtech firms they work with, making it hard for adtech companies to get profitable or raise money. Marketers are also demanding more transparency from adtech companies about the fees they charge."All of these things are creating significant costs to operate and also barriers to entry," Goel said. "In an environment where marketers are pushing for more transparency, costs going up and compliance and regulation, we're clearly seeing consolidation."

Digital ad firm PubMatic is putting 40 people to work on a product to win the race for OTT advertising

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk's efforts to boost <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-america-super-pac-trump-turn-out-voters-2024-10">support for Donald Trump</a> reflect how the Tesla CEO runs his companies.</li><li>The founder-mode intensity Musk brings to business is creating waves in politics.</li></ul>Back in 2018, before he owned the place, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> posted on Twitter, now X, that "nobody ever changed the world on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-wants-employees-to-work-constantly-ideal-worker-stereotype-2022-11">40 hours a week</a>."Musk is now deploying his trademark intensity, money, and norm-smashing to elevate a brand beyond his business empire: Donald Trump.The Tesla CEO has been barnstorming through the keystone <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-private-jet-hits-swing-states-campaigns-donald-trump-2024-10">swing state of Pennsylvania</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-superpac-donations-politics-2024-10">holding his own rallies</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-1-million-giveaway-legal-questions-2024-10">cutting $1 million checks</a> to a lucky few who sign his petition.As of Friday, Musk had spent just shy of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-gop-spending-130-million-2024-10">$119 million on his Pro-Trump America PAC </a>and donated $924,600 to Trump 47, which is a joint fundraising committee.Musk has most often shown this level of effort in running his businesses. His tales of getting stuff done at any cost are legend. They include sleeping on a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-sleeping-habits-tesla-factory-floor-twitter-late-nights-2022-11">couch in his factories</a> and on the floor beneath his desk so that his workers could see him when they were changing shifts.Musk going <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/founder-mode-manager-dividing-silicon-valley-2024-9">Founder Mode</a> is compelling to many. His business efforts have made him the world's richest man and he has built a loyal following that has garnered him cheers and applause at events more akin to the reaction to rock stars than CEOs.Experts in communication and political science who have studied Musk's approach to business told Business Insider that his political exploits share a similar DNA to that of his heads-down manner of running his companies."He has brought all of those same sort of mechanisms and strategies of his leadership style to his involvement in politics," Brian Ott, a distinguished professor in the Department of Communication, Media, Journalism, and Film at Missouri State University, told BI.BI requested comment from Musk and from the Trump campaign but didn't hear back from either.<h2 id="922ee2e4-f127-440d-a2cf-48d3d28e4687">A new metric for success</h2>Musk endorsed Trump in July following the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-feud-relationship-timeline-2022-7">assassination attempt </a>against him. Since then, Musk has been actively campaigning for the former president."I haven't been politically active before, I'm politically active now because I think the future of America and the future of civilization is at stake," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ugENmbDL8k">Musk said at a town hall</a> he hosted in Swatara Township in Pennsylvania last Saturday.In early October, Musk joined Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, at the site where the assassination attempt took place, and spoke about why he is supporting Trump."I think this election is the most important election of our lifetime. This is no ordinary election. The other side wants to take away the right to your freedom of speech, they want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote, effectively," he said at the rally. "President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution, he must win to preserve democracy in America."Musk has also said he supports Trump because he likes his stance on limited government, free markets, and federal spending."With a Trump presidency, we are going to get secure borders, we are going to get safe cities, we are going to get sensible spending, we are going to get deregulation, sensible regulation, and we can unlock the power that is America," Musk said at a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ8mNbwsSuw">town hall event on Monday</a> in Pennsylvania. The race remains especially tight with 10 days to go until the election.According to a national poll by The New York Times &amp; Siena Poll published Friday, Trump and Harris are tied at 48% and 48%, respectively, for the popular vote.It's not clear whether Musk's efforts on behalf of Trump have had or will have any impact. He's not showing any signs of slowing down, though. He has been giving away $1 million checks to registered voters in key swing states who sign his petition supporting the First and Second Amendments.Agustin Ferrari Braun, a media researcher at the University of Amsterdam, told BI that Musk's efforts might activate his fans to whip up support for Trump on social platforms like X.It could mean more of them become invested in Trump's campaign than might have otherwise, Ferrari Braun said.He said it's an approach not dissimilar to how Musk handled difficult EV rollouts at Tesla. Musk creates a narrative, and he essentially "willed it into being," Ferrari Braun said.Ferrari Braun said Musk uses his celebrity to get people to buy into a vision."He's trying to do the same thing for the election," Ferrari Braun said.

Elon Musk is going 'founder mode' in his bid to get Donald Trump elected

<ul><li>Schitt’s Creek actor, writer, and producer <keyword id="254602" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Daniel-Levy">Daniel Levy</keyword> lashed out at the Indian arm of a global television channel for censoring a kiss between the two leading men of the show. </li><li>Levy had pointed out a snippet from the show that <keyword id="10064237" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="comedy-central-india">Comedy Central India</keyword> had shared on Twitter in March 2019.</li><li>Schitt’s Creek recently made a splash at the Emmy Awards 2020 being the first show to sweep all the major awards in the comedy category.</li></ul>Canadian actor and the writer, producer of the immensely popular comedy show Schitt’s Creek Daniel Levy slammed the Indian arm of a global television channel for allegedly censoring a kiss between the two leading men of the show. Levy took to Twitter about the censorship of gay intimacy on particularly the Indian channel. <div type="twitter" handle="danjlevy" handlename="dan levy" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/823076931931226112/nwJ7gMqE_normal.jpg" favoritecount="47066" retweetcount="4902" status="You showed the kiss between two women, you showed the kiss between a woman and a man, then removed the kiss between… https://t.co/1ancFqg4Fw" createdat="1602004701000" id="1313529036803579904"></div> Levy had pointed out a snippet from the show that Comedy Central India had shared on Twitter in March 2019 when the show was being aired on the channel. As people began to confuse it between the American Comedy Central, Levy went on to write, “I thought I made this pretty clear but for those who are confused, this is about a channel in India.” Business Insider has reached out to Comedy Central India for comments, and the copy will be updated to reflect the same as and when they answer. Schitt’s Creek has been lauded for its inclusivity and positive representation of LGBTQ relationships. The Canadian show recently made a splash at the Emmy Awards this year, being the first to sweep all the major awards in the comedy category. Even during his Emmy speech, Levy had spoken about the inclusivity on the show. “Our show at its core is about the transformational effects of love and acceptance and that is something we need more of now than ever before,” he had said. <keyword id="4872592" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="censorship-in-India">Censorship in India</keyword> Censorship in India has been a rising issue across television channels, as well as OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar. Earlier,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/netflix-and-hotstar-hedge-their-bets-against-government-regulation-through-self-censorship/articleshow/67573187.cms"> Amazon Prime</a> had censored scenes containing nudity from the popular show Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, and that wasn’t the OTT platform’s first tryst with self-censorship in India. Netflix has also been subject to public ire for censoring <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/netflix-vikings-season-5-blurs-cooked-meat-and-nudity-in-india/articleshow/76149237.cms">Vikings Season 5</a>, where nudity, violence and other gory content was blurred. However, Netflix had then said that the content shown was what it received from History18, the original broadcaster of the series. Film and television bodies in India have long been moderating content on public platforms, including television channels. Recently, with the growing popularity of OTT platforms, the threat of censorship has extended over to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar and others. In fact, a majority of the OTT players have signed a self-regulation code to govern their curated streaming content. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/self-regulation-code-adopted-by-disney-hotstar-amazon-prime-and-other-ott-platforms-what-is-this-code/articleshow/78009955.cms">Self regulation code adopted by Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video and other OTT platforms could either be a huge success — or go the Facebook-Twitter way</a> Update: The article was updated to reflect a change in the headline

Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy slams Indian channel for censorship on the show

<ul><li><keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> locked out union minister <keyword id="6354886" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ravi-Shankar-Prasad">Ravi Shankar Prasad</keyword> over violation of the copyright law.</li><li><keyword id="6356623" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="prasad">Prasad</keyword> has claimed that the temporary ban was in violation of the latest IT rules.</li><li>The Twitter account was still up for public viewing, but Prasad was denied permission to log in.</li></ul>Microblogging platform Twitter, which has been in tussle with the <keyword id="44734" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> over the new information technology (IT) rules, banned the personal account of union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad over violation of the copyright law. The account was reinstated after an hour. The Twitter account was still up for public viewing, but IT minister Prasad was denied permission to log in for almost an hour. "Twitter denied access to my account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of the USA and subsequently they allowed me to access the account," Prasad tweeted on Friday, June 25. Under the DMCA, copyright owners can notify Twitter claiming that a user has infringed their copyrighted works. Twitter generally identifies and removes the said material. It also holds the right to suspend accounts over repeated copyright infringements. Union minister Prasad has added that Twitter’s action to deny access to his account was in gross violation of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/why-whatsapp-twitter-and-facebook-are-reluctant-to-comply-with-indias-new-it-rules/slidelist/82975313.cms">Rules</a> of 2021 that was released earlier this year. Notably, Twitter has not yet complied with the new amendments, but is committed to comply <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/committed-to-complying-with-new-it-rules-twitter-101623089136487.html">soon</a>. It has appointed a temporary grievance officer in <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> as well. Coincidently, Prasad is the minister of electronics that has rolled out the IT rules amendment this year. He also holds other portfolios like law and justice, and communication. The said IT rules give the Indian government greater control over social media, digital news portals and over-the-top (OTT) platforms. However, Twitter and instant messaging app WhatsApp, have been reluctant to comply with them. WhatsApp has also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-moves-the-delhi-high-court-against-indias-new-it-laws-says-report/articleshow/82965251.cms">sued </a>the Indian government over one clause of the rules that mandates the instant messaging app to share information of the ‘first originator’ of a message. The Facebook-owned company says that it will have to break its encryption policy in order to comply with the clause and it will hamper the privacy of the users. Twitter on the other hand has sought an extension to comply with the Indian law. “We plan to advocate for changes to elements of these regulations that inhibit free, open public conversation. We will continue our constructive dialogue with the Indian Government and believe it is critical to adopt a collaborative approach. It is the collective responsibility of elected officials, industry, and civil society to safeguard the interest of the public,” the company said in a public statement last month. In case any social media platform does not comply with any of these roles, they can lose the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-may-now-be-directly-responsible-for-every-single-tweet-in-india/articleshow/83565645.cms">safe harbour</a> provided to them under the Indian law. Safe Harbour provision, under the Section 79 of the IT Act of 2000, treats social media platforms as an intermediary and not the owner of the content. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-may-now-be-directly-responsible-for-every-single-tweet-in-india/articleshow/83565645.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Twitter may now directly be held responsible for every single tweet in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/every-country-wants-a-piece-of-cryptocurrency-but-how-is-it-benefiting-them/slidelist/83535636.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Every country wants a piece of cryptocurrency, but how is it benefiting them?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/andreessen-horowitz-raises-2-2-billion-for-its-largest-ever-cryptocurrency-fund/articleshow/83813005.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Andreessen Horowitz raises $2.2 billion for its largest ever cryptocurrency fund</a>

Twitter locks out Ravi Shankar Prasad temporarily, the minister behind India’s latest IT rules

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The pace of deals among adtech companies that buy and sell digital advertising has slowed as the industry consolidates and marketers face new restrictions on advertising.</li><li>Still, companies from privacy-geared firms to ones specializing in streaming TV advertising could be attractive acquisition targets this year.</li><li>Business Insider asked five investors, consultants, bankers and analysts to predict which companies could be sold this year.</li><li>Their picks show there's marketer demand for companies to help them navigate regulations and limits on advertising put in place by Google and Apple. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul>After years of huge funding rounds and high-profile acquisitions, the digital advertising industry is facing a number of challenges, and companies solving for data regulation and new types of TV advertising are emerging as hot acquisition targets.Funding is harder than ever to secure as wary investors are concerned about adtech companies' profitability. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-google-third-party-cookies-end-means-for-advertising-2020-2">Google's decision to drop third-party cookies</a> is threatening to change ad targeting, forcing adtech companies to change their business models. Data privacy laws like California's Consumer Privacy Act are making adtech companies find new ways to collect first-party data through apps, websites and loyalty programs. Meanwhile, Facebook, Google and Amazon's ad businesses continue to grow while media companies, adtech firms and other platforms fight for the remaining scraps.Those factors are driving acquisitions and consolidation. This year, Tremor International acquired video advertising startup <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tremor-international-acquires-news-corps-unruly-300981510.html">Unruly from News Corp.</a> for a fraction of what News Corp. paid for it five years ago. Location-based firm Verve was <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/media-and-games-invest-mgi-acquires-us-based-verve-wireless-to-advance-its-market-position-in-programmatic-mobile-location-display-and-video-advertising-300991925.html">acquired by German media company</a> Media and Games Invest."I struggle to think of the company that will be acquired by a 10X multiple - it's just not going to happen," said Chris Kane, founder and president of adtech consultancy Jounce Media. "What we'll see a lot of this year is a lot of distressed exits. It could be a financial rollup where a company like Amobee or Zeta or Media and Games Investment scoop up distressed assets for a discount."Other areas of M&amp;A are hot, though - like OTT. A number of adtech companies are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-ad-tech-ott-companies-2019-2019-3">rushing to capitalize</a> on the shift of TV advertising moving to streaming TV apps. For example, Comcast agreed to buy <a href="https://corporate.comcast.com/stories/comcast-acquires-xumo">ad-supported streaming service Xumo</a> for a reported $100 million, and public adtech firms Telaria and Rubicon Project are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adtech-firms-rubicon-project-and-telaria-plan-to-merge-2019-12">planning to merge this year.</a>Business Insider asked five industry insiders including investors, consultants, bankers and analysts which companies are hot acquisition targets. To be clear, these people listed companies they think are attractive M&amp;A targets but did not suggest that any of the companies are currently are in talks. Here are seven companies they said are worth watching this year, listed alphabetically. In the case of public companies, we included revenue. For private companies, we listed how much they have raised.

You Searched For "change in ott regulations" and got 12 results

Unanswered questions as regulation of OTT platforms and digital news providers moves from one government department to another

Prabhjote Gill

The likes of Hotstar, Netflix and even news content providers will now be regulated by the I&B Ministry, contrary to what the platforms would like

Prabhjote Gill

How India is ‘Cutting the Cord’ to drive an OTT revolution

Guest Author

OTT: Technology, censorship and the future

Guest Author

India's OTT industry to be worth $15 billion by 2030: Report

BI India Partner

Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is streaming on SonyLIV— Here's what the infamous scam was all about

Navdeep Yadav

Surprise, surprise – Indians want censorship for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar

Sanchita Dash

Digital ad firm PubMatic is putting 40 people to work on a product to win the race for OTT advertising

Lauren Johnson

Elon Musk is going 'founder mode' in his bid to get Donald Trump elected

Tim Paradis

Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy slams Indian channel for censorship on the show

Sanchita Dash

Twitter locks out Ravi Shankar Prasad temporarily, the minister behind India’s latest IT rules

Kritti Bhalla

Here are 7 digital advertising companies that experts say could be snapped up in 2020

Lauren Johnson

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides