Ejaz Khan.
A large part of the film business is now OTT. Even though the painting of films released on the big screen is on a large scale, the effect of OTT has also reached every household. Even after this, the responsibilities of this platform have not been decided. Still, the process of serving content is going on in irresponsible style. Even after a million attempts, no one is able to be guarded. Despite many actions, the market of obscenity is spreading through OTT. After the ‘India’s Got latent’ controversy, another case has come into the discussion, which is more serious than before. A clip of the owl app’s reality show ‘House Arrest’ has created a ruckus. The reason for the ruckus is also completely justified. The show with pornographic content has instigated anger among the people.
There is anger among social media users and once again the demand for the show has started demanding. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has also responded to the controversy and with this the issue has also become political. It is not wrong to say that vulgarity is fully promoted through OTT. There are many apps whose entire focus is only on serving pornographic content. It is also easy for these apps to do this because there is no guard. Till date no tough rules have been made in the name of OTT censorship, while there has already been a strong monitoring for films and TV.
What is the case related to the owl app
The new OTT web series of the owl app ‘House Arrest’ is being hosted by Ejaz Khan, the ex -contestant of Bigg Boss, who has ate the air of jail several times. Ejaz Khan, who was accused in drug cases, has tried his luck in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Last week, his wife has also been spent after spending 6 months in jail. In this show, Ejaz Khan is addressing himself as ‘Ghar Ka Daddy’. The show is shown from Kamasutra to adult content. The show participants are also participating in this obscenity. None of women to men seem to be opposing it. In recent times, the controversy of ‘India’s Got Latant’ came into the limelight. Due to the objectionable thing said in the show, a show was banned, but no rule could be made due to which monitoring could be made. Now if you are wondering how monitoring and censorship is done, then first you have to understand the censorship of film and TV.
Rules for movies
The world of cinema is not only divided on the basis of languages, but the real basis of its division is the quality of work which decides whether the film will be A grade or will fall into the category of B and C. CBFC, ie Censor Board Certification to all films released on the big screen, decides which category these films will be included in. The censor board has fixed four types of certifications. They are given on different basis and accordingly it is decided who can see the film. Every film has to go through a process. First film makers file an application, then it is tested and tested and then certification is fixed. Now let us tell you about all four certifications.
U: unrestricted public performance, suitable for all age groups. U/A: Suitable for all ages, but for children under 12 years of age, guidance of parents is mandatory. A: For adults only. S: For a banned viewer, the film is forbidden for a particular group.
Rules for tv
The sensor board already puts an end to obscene and objectionable content or sets a limit for them. The makers avoid abuses and nididity due to the guard of the sensor board. These scenes have to be removed as soon as the censor goes on. It has become a matter of films that are released on the big screen, now tell you about the content coming on TV, they are also strict or say that they are being monitored more than films, because they have access from house to house and children. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sets several out lines for them. Apart from this, every TV show is monitored under the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act (1995) and only then broadcasts. There is no place on the TV screen of obscene and abuses, but when it comes to the world of OTT, there is no emphasis on it. It is still not in anyone’s hands to decide what will go on this different world spread like Mayajal.
No concrete rules for OTT
The cheap internet has spoiled the entire game. Now from the child to the elderly, there is a mobile phone with 4G and 5G in the hands of the elderly, in which he can see anything, anywhere and anytime. There is no difference between day and night, nor is there any eye on the mind to spend money. In such a situation, the process of serving and consuming it is continuing indiscriminately. There is no detailed and official announcement about the censorship rules on the OTT platform yet. However, the government has taken steps in this direction and is considering making some rules. The main objective of the government is to control pornographic content and other objectionable content. Moss actions have also taken place in the past years but still there is no restriction on it. New OTT platforms are being launched in the coming days, which are spreading vulgar, aerotic and substandard content at a quarter-wheeled prices. It has an owl app at the forefront.
Child Rights Protection Commission had raised the issue, NCW also gave notice
Let me tell you, the Child Rights Protection Commission demanded action on the owl app in the month of March last year. In a letter to the IT Ministry, it was said that the owl app is having a bad effect on school children. Complaints have been reported on the owl app on the owl app while targeting school children. The Child Rights Protection Commission said in its letter that Google Play Store and iOS are not following the rules of any KYC policy or age verification. Content of the owl app has violated the poxo law, which the Commission has taken cognizance. Owl Digital also applied for IPO on BSE SME platform. At present, no concrete action was taken on this matter and still pornography is being traded through this app. Today, NCW has also taken action on the matter and issued notice to the CEO and Ejaz Khan of the owl app. Both will have to appear before NCW.
Notice of Children Commission.
Increasing owl app earnings continuously
If we look at the earnings of this app, then their business is increasing. In FY 2022-23, this app won a revenue of Rs 93.1 crore. A year earlier, its revenue was Rs 46.8 crore. That is, the revenue of the company has doubled in a single year. On the one hand the company is making profit, but on the other hand society is suffering losses. If we look at the profits, the company has made four times the profit in two years. While the company’s profit in 2022 was Rs 3.90 crore, now in 2023 it has increased to Rs 15.10 crore. According to the Startup Data Intelligence platform The Credible, the company’s founder and CEO Vibhu Aggarwal holds a stake of about 65 per cent of the company. In the last several years, Vibhu Aggarwal has been constantly advocating how the pornographic business of his app is correct.
Many more platforms are also spreading
The owl app is not the only platform that is serving such pornographic content. Apart from this, there are many big players who are not avoiding serving pornographic content in the market. The Kuku app, Prime Flix, Newflix, Altabalaji, Hotshot, Rabit Movie app have already been stamped to serve adult content. Bold films and web series are being shown indiscriminately on these. Big names like Karan Kundra and Ekta Kapoor are also included in the list of such apps. Action was taken on the apps of both Raj Kundra and Ekta Kapoor, where Raj Kundra went to jail, while Ekta Kapoor’s case is still in court. Even after many muscles, some content was removed from his app Altabalaji and some still exist. Anyway, it is said that once in the Internet world, it is present somewhere in some form, it is not easy to remove it completely. Currently, in a decision a few days ago, the Supreme Court termed the trend of pornographic content on the online platform as ‘important concern’ and said that the responsibility of OTT and social media sites should also be fixed. The apex court also issued notices to the central government and the OTT platform Netflix, Amazon Prime, Altabalaji, Owl Digital, Mubi and Social Media Plates X Corp, Google, Meta Inc. and Apple. Even after the name of it, the owl app has dared to bring such a show.
18 apps were banned
Most platforms such as owl app are membership based streaming platforms. Apps like owl are quite cheap. While platforms like Amazon and Netflix have to pay a good amount of money, they are economical. Along with the annual, they also have a subscription option of every month. People of any age can watch video content without any check. This is a big reason that they are being promoted rapidly. Last year, the government took a big action and it was decided to block 18 OTT apps under IT Rule 2021. All these apps were being served vulgar and pornographic content. These apps were removed under section 69A of the IT Act, but even after this there are many apps which are constantly serving such content. These actions taking place in between are not making any significant difference, until any concrete operation and censorship rules are made for the OTT world, it is very difficult to stop the kind of pornographic content.
