I&B pulls up Telegram over pirated content

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has issued a notice to messaging platform Telegram over the alleged circulation of pirated movies, OTT shows, and other copyrighted audio-visual content on its platform, directing the company to take corrective measures and submit an action-taken report within 15 days. The ministry has asked Telegram to strengthen its mechanisms for detecting, reporting, blocking access to and removing pirated content.

According to the notice, the ministry has also sought details of the platform’s grievance redressal system for filmmakers, OTT platforms, content producers and law enforcement agencies. The ministry has directed the instant messaging app to take action against repeat copyright violators, including channels, groups, bots, user accounts, administrators and other associated entities involved in sharing infringing material. Previously, the Centre had taken action against more than 3,000 Telegram channels accused of distributing pirated movies, web series and other copyrighted content.

The latest notice indicates that the government now expects the platform itself to proactively prevent copyright violations instead of relying on individual takedown requests. The Government’s action is also aimed at protecting India’s creator economy and the film industry, along with broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers and distributors.

The notice said it expects Telegram to crack down on the “widespread dissemination” of pirated films, OTT content and other audio-visual material through its platform. Officials pointed out the Government’s approach marks a shift from piecemeal takedowns of pirated content to “platform accountability”. The notice to Telegram follows the Centre’s recent regulatory action against Meta.

Telegram was recently banned in India till June 22 — a block that was seen as an attempt to prevent any possible irregularities ahead of the June 21 re-exam of NEET-UG, which was originally held on May 3 but got cancelled on May 12 after overlaps emerged between a leaked question paper and the actual one, triggering a CBI probe and 13 arrests.

The Government-imposed block on Telegram, used widely by students to share study material, later reached the Delhi High Court, which on June 19 upheld the Government’s decision to block Telegram for six days ahead of the NEET-UG re-exam.

Reminding Telegram that, as an intermediary, it is required to observe due diligence under the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology Rules, the Ministry has stated that Telegram should not be waiting for the Government to identify each of the piracy channels and also emphasised that a purely reactive, channel-by-channel takedown approach may not be sufficient to demonstrate due diligence as required under the IT Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021.

The Ministry is learnt to have told Telegram, which was temporarily blocked in India in June as a precautionary measure to prevent any paper leak during the NEET re-examination, that copyright infringement is not merely a civil violation, but also a criminal offence under the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Telegram has been reminded that, as an intermediary, it is required to observe due diligence under the IT Act and the IT Rules, they added.