The Internet and Mobile Association of India on April 9 prepared a "final" list of concerns that Online Curated Content Platforms like Netflix and Hotstar had on the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics code) Rules, 2021. Streaming services, the largest of whom are members of IAMAI's Digital Entertainment Committee, have largely been silent on the code. But the list of concerns prepared by the industry association indicates that, some wrinkles aside, they will largely comply. IAMAI couldn't be reached immediately for comment. The Intermediary Rules require streaming platforms to submit to a three-tier complaints mechanism (tier 1: the company itself; tier 2: a self-regulatory body [SRB] instituted by the industry; and tier 3: an inter-departmental committee [IDC] of the central government) and take down content when ordered by the government. Here are the IAMAI's main problems with the Rules as per the document we obtained: Timelines not sufficient: The IAMAI complained that requiring streaming services to comply with all requirements under the Rules was too burdensome considering the logistical challenges, and asked for the following time extensions: 3 months for appointing a grievance officer and joining the SRB, one year for implementing parental controls, and six months for other obligations such as content descriptors. Parallel criminal action: Like FICCI, the IAMAI raised the concern of parallel criminal actions that might be taken against online content, such as police complaints, in spite of the Rules' existence. There must be a clarification, IAMAI argued, that parallel criminal action against TV shows…
