The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a notice to Telegram under the Information Technology Act, 2000, directing the messaging platform to remove pirated content circulating on its channels, according to government sources.
The move comes in the wake of complaints from several OTT platforms, including JioCinema and Amazon Prime Video, which alleged widespread unauthorized distribution of copyrighted films and web series through Telegram channels. The platforms reported the issue to the government, claiming that their content was being widely shared illegally.
More than 3000 channels have been identified
After reviewing the complaints and studying the matter, the authorities identified 3,142 channels on the Telegram application that were allegedly involved in distributing pirated materials. The channels were sharing movies and OTT content related to around 1,166 titles, officials said.
“This is a complaints-based mechanism. We have received complaints from multiple sources like content owners, OTT platforms and civil society about pirated content and hence we have taken action,” a senior MIB official requesting anonymity said.
The government has now asked Telegram to take necessary action and remove the violating content from its platform.
A notice from the ministry dated March 11 said that some Telegram channels made content owned or licensed to producers and OTT platforms available without permission, violating the Copyright Act of 1957.
Deadline: 3 hours
The two-page notice, issued by MIB Joint Secretary C Senthil Rajan, directed Telegram to remove and disable access to specified channels within three hours of receiving the message. The ministry also asked the platform to ensure that action is taken without spoiling the evidence.
The government has invoked Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act along with Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Code of Digital Media Ethics) Rules, 2021. These provisions require online intermediaries to remove illegal content once they are notified by the authorities.
Failure to comply may result in the platform losing its safe harbor protection, which protects brokers from liability for content posted by users.
Officials attached a 120-page annex to the notice listing the channels concerned. The document includes details such as Telegram channel URLs, channel names, number of pirated links, and project titles being shared illegally.
The channels allegedly distributed content ranging from newly released movies and web series available on OTT platforms like Amazon Prime Video, SonyLiv, Jio Hotstar and ShemarooMe to audiobook piracy networks sharing content from audio platforms like KukuFM.
According to the appendix, the pirated links included films such as:
- KGF Chapter 2
- 120 Bahadur
- Two Much starring Kajol and Twinkle Khanna
- Param Sundari
- Al-Qantara: Myth – Chapter 1
- Bhol chowk maf
According to MUSO’s Piracy Trends and Insights Report 2024, India accounts for 8.12% of global piracy traffic, with around 1,756 crore visits to pirated websites.
