New Delhi: The Central government has issued a formal notice to the messaging platform Telegram, directing the company to take stringent measures against the widespread circulation of pirated films, OTT content and other copyrighted audio-visual material on its platform. According to government officials, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked Telegram to submit an Action Taken Report within 15 days, signaling a significant shift in the government’s approach toward tackling digital piracy. Instead of relying solely on individual takedown requests, authorities are now emphasizing greater accountability on the part of online platforms to proactively prevent the dissemination of illegal content.

Officials stated that the Ministry has informed Telegram that copyright infringement is not merely a civil dispute but also constitutes a criminal offence under provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The government has reportedly made it clear that Telegram cannot depend entirely on authorities to identify and report individual piracy channels and groups. According to officials, a reactive approach involving channel-by-channel takedowns does not adequately satisfy the due diligence obligations imposed on digital intermediaries under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology Rules, 2021. The Ministry has also sought detailed information regarding Telegram’s grievance redressal mechanisms available to film producers, OTT platforms, broadcasters and law enforcement agencies.

The action against Telegram comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny of major digital platforms operating in India. Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued notices to several technology companies, including Meta, over concerns related to platform features and content moderation practices. Telegram and Signal have also reportedly received notices concerning their username-based functionalities. Government officials warned that continued availability of pirated content, inadequate compliance measures or failure to provide a satisfactory response could invite further legal and regulatory action under existing laws. Authorities stated that these measures are aimed at protecting India’s creator economy, entertainment industry, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers and copyright holders from the growing threat of digital piracy.