‘Smoking kills’ could be killing user experience on OTT

New Delhi: India’s OTT landscape is gradually dominating entertainment consumption. Led by platforms like JioHotstar, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, India’s streaming space is a hotbed for shows portraying substance use, especially tobacco.

In May 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) mandated that any OTT content depicting tobacco products must include - 30-second anti-tobacco health spot, 20-second audiovisual disclaimer at the beginning and middle of the content, and continuous static on-screen warnings during scenes that involve tobacco use. 

In 2024, these measures got even stricter, featuring non-skippable health spots. But are these actually effective? 

A recent report by CUTS (Consumer Unity & Trust Society) International highlighted the challenges and effects of adhering to these regulations. Sponsored by Netflix, the report surveyed 1,200 OTT users across 15 cities. 

User experience vs regulation, a fault line?

The data points out that while awareness is crucial, blunt tools may backfire in the digital ecosystem. Audiences are not rejecting the message, but the format and delivery.

According to the report, more than 54% users ignore or skip anti-tobacco health spots, and only 20% find them informative. In addition, around 35% feel that these messages disrupt their viewing experience, especially on mobile devices, which account for 41% of OTT consumption.

While India mandates a 30-second health spot and a 20-second AV disclaimer at the beginning and middle of tobacco-depicting content, a draft notification proposes extending this to a non-skippable 50-second message at platform launch. 

The result? Nearly 37% of surveyed users said they would ignore such messages, and 10% might abandon the platform altogether.

In terms of reactions to these health spots 29% said they pay attention to those health spots suggesting that these anti-tobacco health spots successfully engage a portion of the audience, whereas the remaining users said they either wait for them to end but don’t focus on them (23%), or skip them immediately (13%), or ignore them and do something else (18%) when these health spots are displayed. 

Design disruptions

A significant 21% of viewers said static warnings block subtitles—disrupting comprehension, especially for users watching multilingual content or relying on captions due to language or hearing needs. 

An additional 22% called these static messages visually distracting, often breaking immersion during emotional or dramatic scenes.

With over 41% of OTT content being consumed on mobile devices, the report stresses that smaller screen sizes make static overlays and mandatory messages feel more intrusive. On mobile, even subtle interruptions can interfere with subtitle readability or obscure core visuals, leading to a negative user experience.

The study also explored viewer preferences regarding the timing and format of anti-tobacco messages. While 37% of users preferred that such messages not appear at all on OTT platforms, others showed support for more context-sensitive approaches. 

About 14% said warnings should only appear during scenes that depict tobacco use, while 12% were comfortable with them appearing at the beginning of relevant content. 

A smaller but forward-looking 5% of respondents supported personalised or behaviour-based delivery, signalling openness to AI-driven message targeting that respects individual viewing habits.

Age Gender Evaluation

Through detailed chi-square statistical analysis, the study establishes a clear correlation between demographic attributes and viewer attitudes towards the mandatory health warnings and disclaimers.

Younger audiences, particularly those in the 18-34 age group, were more receptive to anti-tobacco messages. Many in this segment viewed the messaging as informative or at least tolerable, especially when it was presented in short, non-intrusive formats.

In contrast, older users, especially those above 45, tended to be more resistant. This demographic expressed higher levels of irritation with the messaging formats, particularly when the content was unskippable or repeated too frequently.

Gender-based differences were equally notable. Female viewers generally showed a higher level of acceptance and perceived the anti-tobacco messages more positively. Many women reported that the messaging aligned with broader concerns about health and family well-being, especially when children were also part of the viewing audience. 

Male viewers, on the other hand, were more likely to ignore or skip the health warnings and were less inclined to view them as useful or impactful. 

The report’s data shows that a sizable portion of male respondents found the messages to be annoying or redundant, with some perceiving them as a disruption to their entertainment experience. 

Recommendations

Overall, the report underscored that a one-size-fits-all approach to health messaging on OTT platforms fails to account for the nuanced preferences across age and gender groups.

It called for the adoption of segmented messaging strategies that are informed by user demographics and behaviour. 

Incorporating this level of customisation, possibly through AI-driven delivery mechanisms, could enhance engagement, reduce resistance, and ultimately improve the public health impact of anti-tobacco campaigns in digital entertainment spaces.

The report noted that repetitive, non-skippable messages significantly contribute to viewer fatigue and platform disengagement. Allowing users to skip after seeing a message once can preserve the essence of awareness while minimising annoyance, particularly among regular viewers. 

The report also encouraged collaboration between OTT platforms and government regulators to co-create messaging strategies that are both impactful and respectful of the viewer’s time and attention.

It suggested that regulators move from a punitive model to an incentive-driven approach, offering platforms recognition or tax incentives for adopting effective and user-friendly health communication methods.

Furthermore, it suggested involving designers, behavioural scientists, and content strategists in developing and testing message placements. Rather than treating public health messaging as an afterthought or add-on, it advocates for integrating it thoughtfully into the platform’s user interface and content environment.