Online content providers will have to register with regulator
By THE NATION

 

Photo from: facebook.com/ONBTC

 

BANGKOK: -- THE National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has taken its first step in regulating over-the-top (OTT) content on social media platforms by requiring popular content providers to register with the agency.

 

Due to the fast-growing popularity of social media sites in Thailand, the requirement is expected to be enforced within the next two months as the NBC works on details of its plan. NBC chairman Colonel Natee Sukonrat said most administrators of the 100 most popular Facebook fanpages in Thailand had agreed to work with the agency to ensure that inappropriate content and advertisements of products which are illegal do not appear on social media platforms.

 

At present, Facebook is the country’s most popular social media site with more than 40 million users nationwide, followed by Line, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms.

 

Also, the number of smartphone users has increased rapidly over the past few years, allowing instant access to OTT content, which includes films, TV, entertainment, personalities and interviews, among other items. In addition, digital TV broadcasters as well as news organisations, also use social media platforms to attract online audiences.

 

At a meeting yesterday with the NBC, many OTT content providers urged the regulatory body to treat all content providers equally while avoiding enforcement of redundant regulations. 

 

According to Natee, NBC will ensure that OTT regulations will allow speedy solutions to any issues which may arise, while content providers said the agency should not increase the burden of fanpage administrators, while they are ready to cooperate in terms of removing inappropriate contents and illegal product advertisements.

 

The NBC was urged to introduce measures and offer incentives to promote the production of creative content on OTT platforms for social benefits. According to Natee, any additional regulations will be minimal since the agency’s policy is to minimise the impact on content providers.

 

The NBC chairman also said major platform owners, such as Facebook and YouTube, also have a responsibility to work with the NBC to ensure that unsuitable content and illegal advertisements are not on their sites.

 

Popular social media platforms have become a new tool for doing business online and a source of advertising revenue for platform owners who usually have revenue-sharing agreements with providers.

 

In general, there are three major types of OTT content: mass content such as films and TV programmes, niche content such as sports, food programmes and cartoons and user-generated content.

 

Most OTT content is free, while many others charge subscription fees and some content is a mix of free and paid.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30317482

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-08

The way its going you will need to register b4 you can open your month

Freedom as all but left the country

Hey people you are allowing this to happen to your freedoms Don't complain down the road

about freedom lost 

OTT? A bit like this Government's increasingly ridiculous computer laws and regulations!

I assume "inappropriate content" is the truth about how the this country is governed now.

Who is going to regulate the regulators ? Obviously there should be something out there to control "inappropriate" content, but some of these "regulators" are power crazy nerds of very low intellectual standing !

22 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

I assume "inappropriate content" is the truth about how the this country is governed now.

I wonder why a lot of people always moan about the loss of freedom, internet wise, in Thailand.

All I can ask those wondering if they have looked into what is going on, internet wise, in their own countries?

Also in the Western world more and more governments are trying to curb the internet, and succeeding.

Splashing huge fines onto Facebook, Google and others is also a way to curb providers often used by governments.

If these entities decide to register themselves outside of Thailand, what happens ?  Just sounds like the junta crackdown will encourage dynamic, hard working Thais to move elsewhere. 

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

In NAZI Germany it was called "Gleichschaltung". So here we have the first step in Thailand. gateway is the next.

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

I wonder why a lot of people always moan about the loss of freedom, internet wise, in Thailand.

All I can ask those wondering if they have looked into what is going on, internet wise, in their own countries?

Also in the Western world more and more governments are trying to curb the internet, and succeeding.

Splashing huge fines onto Facebook, Google and others is also a way to curb providers often used by governments.

You wonder? Heavens! So protesting about censorship should be selectively applied, or perhaps suppressed because it happens in other countries? 

4 hours ago, hansnl said:

I wonder why a lot of people always moan about the loss of freedom, internet wise, in Thailand.

All I can ask those wondering if they have looked into what is going on, internet wise, in their own countries?

Also in the Western world more and more governments are trying to curb the internet, and succeeding.

Splashing huge fines onto Facebook, Google and others is also a way to curb providers often used by governments.

This is a completely inadequate comparison. The type of content that is currently (or potentially) banned in Thailand is not banned (or attempted to be banned) in democratic countries. It is considered as basic and obvious freedom of expression.

The loss of free speech is Thailand's right...but does the public really know where this is leading? This is a slippery slope which is hard to climb back up once the fall takes place. 

13 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Who is going to regulate the regulators ? Obviously there should be something out there to control "inappropriate" content, but some of these "regulators" are power crazy nerds of very low intellectual standing !

 

Who is going to regulate the regulators ?

 

They'll surely form a committee... 

 

some of these "regulators" are power crazy nerds of very low intellectual standing !

 

They are TVF posters?!

1 hour ago, Chama1 said:

The loss of free speech is Thailand's right...but does the public really know where this is leading? This is a slippery slope which is hard to climb back up once the fall takes place. 

Slippery slope?

 

Its a sheer drop you mean and there is only one way back, but not here

 

The even worse thing is is if you live outside the country and even click on the wrong like button come on holiday they will even still try to arrest you

 

Answer is

 

Write and click as much as you can but never visit and you are not missing anything if you stay away and of course you are much safer as life here is on the bottom rung.

12 hours ago, hansnl said:

I wonder why a lot of people always moan about the loss of freedom, internet wise, in Thailand.

All I can ask those wondering if they have looked into what is going on, internet wise, in their own countries?

Also in the Western world more and more governments are trying to curb the internet, and succeeding.

Splashing huge fines onto Facebook, Google and others is also a way to curb providers often used by governments.

 

Censorship in the West,  inasmuch as it is enforced, does not amount to anything resembling things in Thailand. Coupled with them draconian defamation laws it a double feature of fun fun fun.