The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has summoned officials from Netflix, alleging that the streaming platform is making “sexually explicit content” accessible to minors. This action follows accusations of violating the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012, due to the “unrestricted accessibility” of such content to minors.
Under Section 14 of the CPCR Act, 2005, the NCPCR has mandated that Netflix India Vice President (Content) Monika Shergill and Policy Head Ambika Khurana appear before the commission at 3 PM on July 29, 2024.
Complaint Details
The complaint, filed by the Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation, accuses Netflix of unlawfully showcasing explicit content, including scenes of private parts and sexual activities between various combinations of individuals, including orgies. The foundation claims that such content is inappropriate for young children and is easily accessible to minors on Netflix.
The NCPCR stated in its letter, “It has been observed that the unrestricted accessibility of explicit content on Netflix to minors constitutes a violation of Section 11 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.” This section defines sexual harassment upon a child as showing any object with sexual intent in any form of media for pornographic purposes.
Previous Attempts and Netflix’s Rating System
The child rights body had previously raised this issue with Netflix in June, but no response was received from the streaming platform.
Netflix employs a comprehensive ratings system in India to ensure content is suitable for different age groups, divided into Kids, Teens, and Adults, each with specific sub-categories. The platform also allows setting a maturity rating level for profiles.
Setting Maturity Ratings on Netflix
Here’s how users can set a maturity rating level for a profile on Netflix:
- Open the Netflix app.
- Tap “My Netflix” in the lower right corner.
- Tap the Menu in the upper right corner.
- Tap “Manage Profiles.”
- Select the profile you want to edit.
- Tap “Viewing Restrictions.”
- Tap “Maturity Rating.”
- Enter your Netflix account password.
- Set the desired maturity rating level.
Despite these parental and user controls, the platform currently lacks mechanisms to prevent minors from watching inappropriate content without supervision. Netflix Is Being Summoned
The NCPCR’s summons to Netflix highlights ongoing concerns about the accessibility of explicit content to minors on streaming platforms. This case underscores the need for stricter content controls and compliance with child protection laws to ensure a safe viewing environment for young audiences.
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