The Centre has issued a notice to messaging platform Telegram, directing it to curb the widespread circulation of pirated films, OTT content and other copyrighted audio-visual material on its platform. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has sought an Action Taken Report within 15 days, warning that continued non-compliance could invite legal action under the country's copyright and information technology laws.
According to government officials, the move signals a shift in the Centre's anti-piracy strategy from targeting individual piracy channels to holding digital platforms accountable for preventing copyright violations.
The ministry is learnt to have informed 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.
"The Ministry has made it clear that Telegram cannot merely wait for the government to identify each piracy channel one by one. A purely reactive, channel-by-channel takedown approach may not be enough to demonstrate due diligence by the platform, as required under the IT Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021," officials said.
The I&B Ministry has also sought details of Telegram's grievance redressal mechanism for film producers, OTT platforms and law enforcement agencies. Sources said Telegram has been reminded that, as an intermediary, it is required to observe due diligence under the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The notice comes amid a broader regulatory push by the Centre to tighten oversight of digital platforms.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notice to Meta over WhatsApp's planned username feature. Later in the week, the ministry decided to summon the company regarding Instagram advertisements allegedly promoting child sexual abuse material.
Government sources said Telegram and another messaging platform, Signal, have also been served notices by MeitY over their existing username feature.
"The Government has made it clear that the continued availability of pirated content, evasive compliance, or an incomplete response may invite further examination and action under the applicable legal framework. The action has been taken to protect India's creator economy, film industry, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers, and distributors," an official added.