Media Governance Abroad: Role of International Media Councils

The entertainment industry is now inherently international. A programme may be written in India, financed through another country, filmed in several jurisdictions and distributed globally through a digital platform.

This makes national regulation only one part of the legal picture.

International copyright frameworks are essential because creative works do not remain within the country in which they are produced. India's copyright legislation itself contains provisions concerning international copyright protection.

For producers, international rights management is therefore a commercial necessity rather than an academic issue.

Streaming platforms and social-media companies increasingly operate globally while collecting substantial quantities of personal data.

India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 establishes a statutory framework governing digital personal data, while implementation is being phased through notified commencement provisions.

AI is likely to become one of the most significant challenges for international media governance. Synthetic performers, AI-generated voices, manipulated video and automated content creation can cross borders instantly.

India has already been developing its regulatory approach to synthetically generated information through amendments and consultation relating to the IT Rules.

The international media environment is likely to focus increasingly on:

• protection of intellectual property;

• privacy and personal-data governance;

• AI-generated and manipulated content;

• children's online safety;

• transparency in digital advertising;

• accessibility;

• platform accountability; and

• cross-border dispute resolution.

The future of media law will not be determined by film certification or broadcasting regulation alone.

It will increasingly sit at the intersection of intellectual property, technology, privacy, consumer protection, advertising, artificial intelligence and international commercial law.

For Indian producers, studios, artists and digital platforms seeking international audiences, this means that legal compliance must be designed across the entire content life cycle.

Rights should be examined before production. Contracts should be negotiated before creative work begins. Data protection should be considered before platforms collect audience information. AI use should be documented before synthetic material is released. International dispute mechanisms should be agreed before a cross-border transaction is signed.