Netflix, Disney, Amazon explore legal options to challenge India's OTT tobacco warning rules

Days after the Union health ministry made it mandatory for OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers, streaming giants Netflix, Amazon and Disney are reportedly in discussions to look at legally challenging these rules, reports Reuters.

According to Reuters, the move comes amid OTT platforms' fears they will need to edit millions of hours of existing web content.

The report further said that as per Netflix, the rules would hit customer experience and push production houses to block their content in India.

Executives in India also discussed ways of a possible legal challenge to assert that other ministries - IT and information & broadcasting - have powers over streaming giants, and not the health ministry, said one of the Reuters sources.

Anti-tobacco warnings on OTT platforms
India has become the first country to make it mandatory for OTT (over-the-top) platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings and disclaimers as seen in movies screened in theatres and television programmes.

As per the new rules, within the next three months streaming platforms should include static health warnings during smoking scenes. That's not all, at least 50 seconds of anti-tobacco disclaimers, including an audio-visual, at the start and in the middle of each program should be included.

The Union health ministry notified the amendments in the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2004 rules on the 'World No Tobacco Day' on Wednesday.