Watch: Medianama founder Nikhil Pahwa on why ‘certifying’ online streaming content is problematic
‘Mr Javadekar should basically let this go – the government does not have the right to restrict private viewing.’
Prakash Javadekar, the Union minister for information and broadcasting, recently said that the government is looking to create a mechanism to certify online streaming content – in other words, the shows and films that people can watch on platforms like Netflix and Hotstar, among others.
Responding to the government’s plans, Nikhil Pahwa, the founder and editor of Medianama, raised questions over the information and broadcasting ministry’s “jurisdiction over internet”.
“Is internet broadcast? Is it public viewing? Most of these services are paid, private ones being viewed in people’s homes,” Pahwa said.
Javadekar’s proposal came after the courts supposedly asked the government to take these steps. But according to Pahwa, the courts have asked the government to “seriously consider” this. “It is not a direction by the court,” he added, “it is a matter of choice, and the government is choosing to do this.”