The Centre has issued a formal notice to messaging platform Telegram, directing it to take immediate action against the widespread sharing of pirated films, OTT content, and other copyrighted audio-visual material on its platform. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the company within 15 days, emphasizing the need for stronger platform-level accountability.
Officials stated that the government is shifting its approach from individual takedowns of pirated content to a broader framework of “platform accountability.” The ministry reportedly made it clear that Telegram cannot rely solely on a reactive, channel-by-channel removal process and must proactively prevent copyright violations from being hosted and circulated on its platform.
The notice also underlined that copyright infringement is not just a civil issue but a criminal offence under Indian laws, including the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Authorities highlighted that intermediaries are expected to demonstrate due diligence under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021.
In addition to the crackdown on piracy, the government has asked Telegram to provide detailed information about its grievance redressal mechanism for filmmakers, OTT platforms, producers, and law enforcement agencies. Officials stressed that a lack of effective compliance or an inadequate response could lead to further legal scrutiny and action under applicable laws.
The move comes amid wider regulatory attention on digital platforms. Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) also issued notices to Meta over its proposed username feature on WhatsApp and summoned the company over alleged concerns related to Instagram advertisements.
Authorities reiterated that the objective of the action is to safeguard India’s creator economy, including the film industry, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers, and distributors, which continue to face losses due to digital piracy.