New Delhi: Growing instances of content on social media and Over The Top (OTT) platforms running foul of public and political sentiments has prompted the Centre to examine regulatory mechanisms for OTT in other countries.

The review has been prompted by complaints ranging from adult content to runins between BJP supporters and platforms over alleged “misrepresentation” of religious, and social issues.

With India emerging at one of the largest consumers of OTT content and fastest growing market in 2020, an analysis being studied by the Centre underlines that regulation of digital media, including OTT platforms and intermediaries is a global trend. In India, the need for regulation is prompted by the need for a level playing field for content across platforms, an idea also considered by the Shashi Tharoor-led panel on IT. The panel considered similar issues with members pointing to regulations in other countries.

Sources said the panel discussed why TV channels must adhere to a programme and content code, and print media be regulated by a Press Council while there is no regulation for OTT platforms. The government, they said, also examined the near redundancy of the IT Act, 2000, and the “misuse” of safe-harbor protection offered under it to significant social media intermediaries like Facebook and Twitter that have “censor(ed) and regulate(ed) content on social media”.

A note said Australia has ensured that revenue earned by Google and FB through advertising on news websites is shared with newspaper publishers. “We can have a discussion on the unfair advertising practices on these intermediaries and how this is causing an adverse impact on the indigenous newspaper industry,” it said.