Netflix and Amazon Prime face Government crackdown on ‘misinformation’ and harmful content

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a consultation on how content standards for online TV can be aligned with traditional linear programming such as the BBC and Sky.

Unlike broadcasters, streaming platforms are not subject to Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code, which sets out expectations on aspects such as offensive material, accuracy, fairness and privacy.

DCMS said the current standards vary across the services, and while some platforms have taken the “welcome” step to introduce some of their own procedures, “the extent of these measures” is not consistent.

The department drew particular attention to age ratings, which it called “inconsistent and sometimes non-existent”.

The consultation could mean “audiences – particularly children – receive a consistent level of protection on video-on-demand services”, DCMS said.

It described rules to regulate content as “minimal”, and while there are some protections for under-18s, there are not many rules to protect audiences from content such as misleading health advice or pseudoscience documentaries.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “We want to give UK audiences peace of mind that however they watch TV in the digital age, the shows they enjoy are held to the same high standards that British broadcasting is world-renowned for.”

He added: “It is right that now we have left the EU, we look at introducing proportionate new rules so that UK audiences are protected from harm.”

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