Key ministries have submitted differing views on a consultation process undertaken by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) over the issue of regulating over-the-top (OTT) apps, such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and DoT have backed the idea of regulating OTT apps from the perspective of national security and public safety. The DoT has stated that a mechanism should be evolved wherein it has the power to selectively ban OTT apps or content to check the spread of misinformation. In contrast, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has opposed any kind of regulation at this stage. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has not submitted its comments.
According to officials, the DoT has collated these views and set a reference to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), asking the regulator to relook its recommendations on OTT apps. The regulator had ruled out the need to regulate such apps in September 2020 but had said that it would review its stance periodically.
