Anti-Tobacco Warnings Must Be Included in All OTT Programmes: Health Ministry

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry announced the updated regulations under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2004, making it essential for OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings similar to those found in theatrically released films and television shows. This was done in honour of World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

The notification states that the beginning and middle of any online curated content that depicts tobacco products or their use must include anti-tobacco health advertisements lasting at least 30 seconds each.

Additionally, whenever tobacco products or their usage are shown throughout the broadcast, they must display a clear static statement at the bottom of the screen with an anti-tobacco health warning.

The source added that the presentation must also begin and end with an audio-visual disclaimer of at least 20 seconds on the harmful effects of cigarette usage.

"The anti-tobacco health warning message as specified in clause(b) of sub-rule (1) shall be legible and readable, with font in black colour on a white background and with the warnings 'Tobacco causes cancer' or 'Tobacco kills'," the notification stated.

"If the publisher of online curated content fails to comply with the provisions of sub-rules (1) to (5), an inter-ministerial committee consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, shall take action suo motu or on a complaint, and after identifying the publisher of online curated content, issue notice giving reasonable opportunity to explain such failure and make appropriate modification in the content," the notification further stated.

Additionally, the audio-visual disclaimers, health commercials, and anti-tobacco warning messages must utilise the same language as the online curated material.

The use of tobacco products in promotional materials and the presentation of tobacco products in online curated content are also prohibited. Neither are the brands of cigarettes or other tobacco products, nor any other forms of tobacco product placement.

The choice was made after consultations with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and other stakeholders, according to a senior ministry official.

The term "online curated content" refers to any curated collection of audio-visual content, excluding news and current affairs content, that is owned, licensed to, or contracted to be transmitted by a publisher of online curated content and made available on demand, including but not limited to through subscription, over the internet or computer networks. This content includes films, audio-visual programmes, television shows, serials, and other similar types of content.

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