SINGAPORE – Leading subscription video-on-demand services across ASEAN have come together to announce the creation of a self-regulatory Subscription Video-on-Demand Industry Content Code (hereafter referred to as the Code) to safeguard consumer interests.

The providers include Astro, dimsum, Fox+, HOOQ, iflix, Netflix, tonton, TVB and The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.

The Code sets out principles to ensure that content offered on these participating platforms is authentic, free from hate speech, hate crimes, pornography, and other forms of inappropriate content. They also pledge their best efforts to provide consumer control features or other measures to ensure that content delivered is age-appropriate for relevant family members of the users in ASEAN.

Companies participating in the Code said: “We share a mutual objective of putting consumer well-being at the heart of our services. This Code demonstrates our commitment to making sure that the consumer is able to make content viewing choices that are right for them and their families.”

This idea was first discussed at the ASEAN Telecom Regulators Council dialogue, held in Bangkok in September 2017. This forum brought together both regulators as well as industry in dialogue, to create pan-ASEAN solutions. Companies affirmed the value of this type of open dialogue and collaborative efforts towards addressing challenges.

This initiative has been welcomed and supported by CASBAA, a regional industry association.

The companies look forward to working with other players in the SVOD space in ASEAN under the principles in the Code which will also serve to distinguish legitimate services from pirate sites.

“When a consumer goes to a pirate site for content, not only do they undermine legitimate businesses, but there are no checks on the content which means minors can very easily be exposed to pornography or graphic violence,” said Louis Boswell, CEO of CASBAA.