PhonePe, DPCGC Join Hands to Boost OTT Regulatory Compliance in India

Digital payments platform PhonePe has partnered with the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC) to promote regulatory compliance and simplify self-regulatory organisation (SRO) certification for over-the-top (OTT) platforms and publishers of online curated content (OCCPs).

The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve merchant awareness of regulatory requirements, facilitate SRO certification and promote compliance among merchants onboarding through PhonePe’s Payment Gateway.

Under applicable Indian regulations, OTT platforms and OCCPs are required to be members of a recognised SRO for grievance redressal. PhonePe makes compliance with this requirement a mandatory condition during its merchant onboarding process.

DPCGC is a Level II self-regulatory body established under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, and registered with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It operates under the aegis of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

Through the partnership, PhonePe and DPCGC will work to educate existing and prospective merchants about SRO membership requirements and customer grievance redressal. The initiative also aims to help eligible merchants complete their certification through DPCGC more smoothly.

IAMAI President Dr Subho Ray said DPCGC was committed to addressing concerns and grievances related to OTT platforms through self-regulation.

The collaboration with PhonePe would promote greater awareness and adherence to the Code of Ethics, expand the reach of self-regulation and strengthen its benefits for the industry and users, he added.

Deep Agrawal, Head of Payments at PhonePe, said compliance and trust were central to the company's approach. He noted that the OTT sector had expanded significantly in terms of reach and penetration in recent years.

Agrawal said the MoU would help educate OTT platforms about regulatory requirements and customer grievance redressal, while reinforcing PhonePe's role as a compliant payments partner for India's growing OTT ecosystem.