Centre orders Telegram to curb pirated films, OTT content
What's the story
The Indian government has issued a notice to popular messaging platform Telegram, seeking immediate action against the rampant distribution of pirated films and OTT content. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has directed Telegram to take strict action against channels and content involved in copyright infringement. The platform has also been asked to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days.
Protection measures
Notice issued after complaints from OTT platforms
The government's action is part of a larger effort to protect India's creator economy and shield the film industry, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers, and distributors from online piracy. The notice comes after complaints from several OTT platforms and content owners about unauthorized sharing of copyrighted films and web series on Telegram.
Channel identification
Over 3,100 channels allegedly sharing pirated content
After reviewing the complaints, the I&B Ministry found 3,142 Telegram channels allegedly sharing pirated movies, web series, and other copyrighted material. The notice has been issued under the Information Technology Act of 2000, directing Telegram to remove infringing content and strengthen compliance with intermediary obligations. As per the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules of 2021, online intermediaries must remove unlawful content upon receiving a valid government notice or court order.
Platform scrutiny
Government seeks clarification on username feature on messaging platforms
Separately, the Central government has expanded its scrutiny of the 'username' feature on messaging platforms. Notices have been issued to Telegram and Signal after similar concerns were raised with WhatsApp. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought explanations from both companies about how their username feature works and what measures are in place to prevent impersonation, identity theft, and misuse.