Prasar Bharati’s Waves OTT platform has not published the monthly grievance compliance reports required under the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, according to a recent Right to Information (RTI) filing. Unlike major OTT platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, Waves OTT’s website lacks these reports, raising questions about its compliance with regulatory obligations as of August 2026, medianama.com reported.
The RTI filing highlighted that Waves OTT’s Terms and Conditions page only lists the grievance officer’s details but does not include any monthly grievance reports. The IT Rules mandate that all publishers of online curated content, including government-owned platforms like Waves OTT, must publish these reports to ensure transparency and accountability. The absence of these reports suggests either non-maintenance or non-publication, both of which contravene the IT Rules and the proactive disclosure requirements under the RTI Act, 2005.
This issue is significant as it underscores a compliance gap in government-owned digital media platforms, contrasting with private OTT services such as Jio Hotstar and SonyLiv, which regularly publish their grievance reports. The IT Rules aim to enhance user protection and content accountability across all digital media publishers. Waves OTT’s failure to meet these standards could affect public trust and regulatory scrutiny, especially given its status as a government entity.
The RTI filing requests Prasar Bharati to either publish all monthly grievance compliance reports or provide an explanation for their absence. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is expected to respond, clarifying Waves OTT’s position on maintaining and disclosing these reports, as per medianama.com.