The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a notice to Telegram on July 4, directing the platform to develop systems to detect and remove pirated films, web series, and OTT content within 15 days. The notice, issued under Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, demands Telegram act against repeat infringers and submit an Action Taken Report, according to medianama.com.
The four-page notice accuses Telegram of allowing pirated content to circulate through mirror channels, successor groups, and bots. It requires the platform to detect, report, disable, and remove infringing material and prevent repeat uploads. Telegram must also share details of its grievance-redressal system for producers, OTT platforms, and law enforcement agencies. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) has challenged the notice, stating it lacks clear legal basis and questioning the ministry's authority, per medianama.com.
This directive raises questions about the legal scope of MIB's authority under the IT Rules, which require intermediaries to act only upon actual knowledge via court orders or government notifications. The demand for proactive content filtering and detailed reporting marks a stricter regulatory approach toward online piracy on messaging platforms. The move follows growing concerns over piracy's impact on India's digital content industry and aligns with broader government efforts to regulate digital intermediaries, medianama.com reports.
The IFF has publicly requested MIB to confirm and authenticate the notice's contents, highlighting ongoing legal and procedural disputes. The ministry's next official communication or clarification will be critical in defining the regulatory framework for intermediaries like Telegram under the IT Rules, medianama.com states.