Children are considered the future of our Nation but they are also exploited the most. So, few guidelines have been published. The National Commission for the protection of Child Rights has published draft guidelines to regulate child protection in Entertainment Industry. The guidelines also cover social media over the top (OTT) platforms.
Guidelines
Permission of District Magistrate needed
Executive function is vested in the hands of the District Magistrate. When a producer organizes a commercial event or of any audio-visual media planning to take a child for any role, then he needs to obtain the permission of the District Magistrate within those local jurisdictions they are going to perform.
Producers are also required to run a disclaimer that measures were taken to ensure that children were not exploited during the shooting.
Is it punishable?
The answer to the said question is in affirmative because when the producers have violated the guidelines and not taken permission from the District Magistrate then he will be punished including imprisonment.
Provisions
There are already few acts which talk about the same such as the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, Child Labour Amendment Act, 2016, Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, etc.
What needs to be taken into consideration?
Producers can’t cast a child in inappropriate roles or situations.
Children can’t be given roles where they need to imbibe alcohol, smoking or any substance and they can’t be shown indulged in any anti social activities.
Children can’t be engaged in a situation like nudity, etc.
A parent or legal guardian or any one known person needs to be present during the shoot of his children and for infants, a registered nurse needs to be present along with a parent or legal guardian.
A child can’t participate in more than one shift per day with a break after every three hours.
