Delhi High Court labels Instagram Remix a 'tool for copyright violation'
India's Delhi High Court has deemed Instagram's Remix feature a potential instrument for copyright infringement. The judge criticized Meta for enabling the feature, describing it as 'mischievous'.
The Delhi High Court in India has characterized Instagram's Remix feature as a potential "tool for copyright violation." Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani of the court expressed significant concerns regarding Meta's platform and the risks associated with video reuse.
The proceedings stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Vikas Divyakirti, founder of the civil services coaching institute Drishti IAS, against Meta Platforms. The suit alleged the creation of fake profiles, deepfakes, and manipulated clips of his lectures. Justice Bhambhani noted that the Remix feature allows users to juxtapose their own videos with others' public content, thereby facilitating potential copyright infringements.
"You are allowing manipulation. It is a tool for copyright violation. Does your platform permit this? It is proof of copyright violation. It is a mischievous feature you have got there," the judge stated to Meta's counsel.
The court ordered the removal or disabling of links for three categories of manipulated material derived from Divyakirti's lectures, including fake profiles and deepfakes falsely showing him endorsing betting and trading platforms. A fourth category, involving clips from his lectures with added captions that attributed statements he allegedly never made, was deferred for later consideration.
The case highlights the blurred line between reusing video content as commentary or criticism, which is permitted under copyright law, and outright infringement. Meta's lawyer argued that similar misuse could occur on any platform enabling downloads, absolving the platform of responsibility. The court also directed platforms to provide subscriber information and IP logs of the uploaders.