Netflix and Amazon Prime Video under Information and Broadcasting ministry’s surveillance

The Union government has issued an order that brings online news portals and providers under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The government has brought films, audiovisuals, news, and current affairs content on online platforms under the domain of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This order will affect online streaming giants such as NETFLIX and Amazon Prime Video as the content will be under Ib Ministry’s surveillance.

The president of India Ramnath Kovid issued a gazette notification on Tuesday that stated “films and audio-visual programs made available by online content providers” and “news and current affairs content on online platforms” would be brought under the heading “Ministry of Information and Broadcasting” in the Second Schedule of Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.

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The government was looking to regulate these online streaming platforms for a long time. Several petitions were filed against online streaming platforms alleging obscene or insult to religious sentiments. The issue raised after the Mirzapur MP Anupriya Patel alleged the makers of the web-series, Mirzapur, and demanded action against. Anupriya alleged that the show portrays the violent mage of the city.

MP Anupriya Patel tweeted that “under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the city of Mirzapur has shown development and is ‘a center of harmony”.