NCC Passes Draft Bill Aimed at OTT Providers|NCC通過OTT專法草案 明訂業者必須登記

On July 15, the National Communications Commission passed a draft bill on the management of Internet audiovisual services, which is aimed at service providers such as Netflix. The draft bill requires providers to register and local companies to assist the government in blocking illegal providers.


On July 15, the National Communications Commission passed a draft bill on the management of Internet audiovisual services, which is aimed at illegal "over-the-top" or OTT service providers. This is the first special law in the world regulating OTT providers, and it is hoped that it will prevent illegal providers from establishing a presence in Taiwan as well as pirated content while protecting the public's audiovisual rights. Some scholars say the intentions were good, but there is still room for discussion on how the law should be implemented.

You enacted this law or set this policy. The effectiveness depends on whether the establishment of this law can help you to achieve your objectives. Let's say you want to catch the big fish and let the small ones go. Who are the big fish? YouTube is one we all know, it is the biggest video platform on the Internet. As for the small fish, what defines small? You'll jeopardize people if you don't think things through.

The draft bill stipulates that OTT providers such as Netflix or LINE TV must register with the NCC. The law intends to "catch the big fish and let the small fish go." Providers are also required to regularly disclose information such as revenues or subscriber numbers. They may not provide content that jeopardizes national security or information security. With regards to the entry of "illegal" providers into Taiwan, the draft bill requires Taiwan companies to refrain from providing telecom, Internet, and cloud services to these providers. They will also be required to work with the government to block illegal services and content or risk being heavily fined. Cable providers say the NCC should examine related laws while enacting this law to set the same management standards for cable and OTT providers.

It's low-level (regulation). Registering is not approving. Domestic companies are under an approval system. When the Internet comes in, we of course have to examine domestic companies and determine whether they can compete with international companies. The answer right now is absolutely not. There are huge differences in output value and scope. Second of all, there is the circumstance of inherently inconsistent regulations.

The NCC says discussion on the draft bill will involve a wide range of topics, and the exact content of the bill will be made public in several weeks' time after it is confirmed and collated. There will also be public hearings to solicit opinions to perfect the law.



俗稱OTT專法的「網際網路視聽服務管理法」草案，NCC在15號通過，也成為全球第一部規範OTT的專法，期許能遏止違法業者登台，以及內容盜版等問題，並保障公眾視聽權。有學者認為立意良善，但具體如何執行，還要很多討論空間。

政大傳播學院副教授 張崇仁表示：「你立這個法，或定這個政策，基本上，你想要達到什麼樣的目的？而你定了這個法，確實能夠解決，那才是有效。（舉例)你捉大放小，什麼叫大？YouTube是我們現在都公認的，是一個最大的影視的，網路上面的一個平台。那小，要多小，你認為不足以造成危害？」

草案中寫道，像Netflix網飛、LineTV這類OTT業者，必須向NCC辦理登記，採取「捉大放小」精神；還要定期揭露營業額、使用情況等資訊，也不得提供危害國安、資安等內容。至於外界關注的「非法」業者來台，草案指出，台灣業者不得提供電信、網路和雲端服務給這類OTT，也必須配合攔阻非法視聽服務內容，否則將予以重罰。有線業者則認為，在NCC為OTT業者訂定專法同時，可以連帶探討相關法令，讓有線電視和OTT有相同的管理力度。

台灣有線寬頻產業協會秘書長 彭淑芬表示：「（OTT專法)就是一個低度的(規管)，登記喔，不是核可喔！我們國內業者都是核可制，那當網際網路進來的時候，我們當然要去看，檢視我們本土業者，有沒有辦法跟國外的業者競爭，那現在的答案是，絕對是完全不行的。產值，規模差異太大。第二個就是說，本來就存在法規規管不一致的情形。」

NCC指出，針對OTT專法的討論，牽涉層面相當廣，完整條文內容，預計最快會在一、兩週之內整理、確認，後續還會舉行公聽會來聽取各界意見，讓專法更完善。