Redefining Boundaries: OTT Censorship in India’s Modern Era

Abstract

Thanks to the evolution of technological advances, a variety of online video streaming services like Netflix, SonyLiv, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, and others have sprouted up. These appreciated services for on-demand viewing give users readily available access to prominent movies, TV shows, and internet-based documentaries. The development of “Binge-watching”, a practice that includes viewing several episodes, movies documentary films, or episodes in rapid succession for a longer duration of time during a single sitting, has become more prevalent as an outcome of quick accessibility to these services. This overindulgence in consuming online material could contribute to isolation and have a detrimental impact on the user's well-being psychologically. The Indian government has been navigating this multifaceted landscape, aiming to equilibrium freedom of imaginative expression with community sensibilities. With varying difficulties for self-regulation, stricter censorship, and satisfied classification, India is at a pivotal minute in deciding where to draw the line between creative freedom as well as social conscientiousness