India mandates prominent tobacco warnings on streaming platforms

News today, June 1: According to foreign media reports, India on Wednesday issued guidelines requiring streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to display prominent warnings about smoking and other forms of tobacco use when programs include such scenes.

Although film and television certification authorities already review public content in India, its laws contain few provisions governing content oversight on popular online platforms.

A notice from the Ministry of Health shows that the 2023 Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Amendment mandates that such platforms display anti-tobacco health spots of at least 30 seconds at the beginning and midpoint of programs.

The new rules also require platforms to show a static health warning at the bottom of the screen whenever tobacco products appear on screen. They also mandate audiovisual disclaimers about the harmful effects of tobacco use.

A World Health Organization survey found that nearly 267 million people aged 15 and above in India use tobacco, prompting the introduction of stricter laws.

“India’s new regulations will ensure that streaming services do not become Big Tobacco’s next target for reaching Indian youth,” said Yolonda Richardson, an executive at the nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

The amendment further states that if streaming websites fail to comply with the new rules, the federal government will automatically take action against them.

Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), which represents the interests of multiple streaming platforms, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.