Netflix and Amazon Prime documentaries could be regulated by Ofcom to prevent the spread of "misinformation" on health and climate change issues, the Culture Secretary has announced.

       Oliver Dowden said he is concerned that viewers could fall for streaming programmes peddling "pseudoscience" if they falsely assumed they are held to the same standards as British TV.

       On Tuesday, the Government launched a consultation on whether to apply Ofcom’s full broadcast code to streaming giants, which would see them face tougher standards on accuracy and fairness.

       The move comes after streaming giants have been hit by a number of controversies over the accuracy of their popular shows.

       Last year, the former head of NHS England, Simon Stevens, accused the Netflix show The Goop Lab of spreading health "misiniformation".

       The series, which followed actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness company Goop as it tried out alternative therapies, showed people conducting "energy exorcisms" and using psychedelic drugs to treat mental-health disorders.

       At the time, Mr Stevens warned: "Her (Patrow’s) brand peddles psychic vampire repellent, says chemical sunscreen is a bad idea, and promotes colonic irrigation and DIY coffee enema machines, despite them carrying considerable risks to health."

       Meanwhile, the hit Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, about the impacts of "sustainable fishing" on the marine environment, has faced accusations by interviewees who complained it misrepresented their views.

       The British filmmaker behind the documentary, Ali Tabrizi, has rejected the claims.

       Tightening the rules

       Launching the consultation, Mr Dowden said: “Though there are some rules that (streaming) providers must follow in protecting children from harmful content, there are little or no rules to protect audiences from misleading health advice or pseudoscience documentaries on climate change.”

       The Culture Secretary said that Brexit meant the UK now had the freedom to impose its own rules on streaming giants to ensure it met the same high standards expected by British viewers.

       Currently, streaming companies face less stringent rules over the content of their programmes than traditional television broadcasters in the UK.

       Broadcasters have to apply for a licence from Ofcom and are then bound by its broadcasting code, which outlines standards for accuracy as well as the fair treatment of people who appear in programmes.

       Organisations that breach the code can face investigations from Ofcom, as well as fines and ultimately having their licence revoked.

       Meanwhile, streaming companies only have to notify Ofcom if they want to broadcast in the UK.

       They are then subject to a paired down set of regulations that only cover rules around protecting under-18s from seeing inappropriate content, not inciting hatred with their programming, and commercial product placement.

       Limited powers currently

       While UK viewers can complain to Ofcom about programmes shown on streaming services, the regulator has limited powers of investigations with most issues over content left to the companies’ internal standards.

       In its consultation document, the Government said it is unlikely to expand the current broadcast code wholesale in its current form, as it was originally drawn up to regulate broadcasters’ access to terrestrial technology.

       It also said any expansion of the rules would likely only apply to the largest streaming giants who have a sizeable number of UK subscribers.

       Instead, it said it is likely to expand relevant parts of Ofcom’s code, such as the rules on accuracy, to cover streaming platforms.

       Viewers' peace of mind

       Mr Dowden added: “We want to give UK audiences peace of mind that however they watch TV in the digital age, the shows they enjoy are held to the same high standards that British broadcasting is world-renowned for.”

       Previous research by Ofcom has found that UK viewers are often unaware that programmes on streaming services are not held to the same standards as TV channels.

       A poll in 2019 conducted by the regulator found that more than a third (34 per cent) of British viewers want tougher regulation of streaming services.