Netflix and Hotstar to Censor Online Shows
Video streaming websites have decided to censor their content to avoid government censorship.
In India, the Central Board of Film Certification [CBFC] has the power to censor films and TV serials.This means that, the CBFC will watch the movie or TV serial and give it a certificate such as U, A, UA.The CBFC does not have the power to control online videos. These days a lot of people want online videos to be controlled.
Many people protested a show on Netflix called ‘Sacred Games’, because people felt that the show was insulting Rajiv Gandhi. An NGO filed a complaint in the High Court, saying that shows like Game of Thrones, Spartacus and Sacred Games had many vulgar and unethical scenes.
Online websites such as Netflix, Hotstar, AltBalaji, Voot, Eros and Sony have decided to censor their own videos. They do not want the government to interfere. These companies have themselves come up rules that they will follow. The companies have installed filters on the websites which will help families choose the right shows for them.
They have decided to not show videos that disrespects the national flag, anti-religious material, terrorism and any material where children are included in sexual activities. Amazon prime will not be following these rules. They feel that the current rules by the government are enough, and they do not need to follow new rules created by the different websites.
