Fake copyright claims used to extort Instagram creators, Delhi HC told
A digital content creator has filed a public interest litigation before the Delhi High Court alleging that organized syndicates are filing fabricated copyright complaints against Instagram users to extort money.
An organized racket using fake copyright claims to extort money from Instagram creators has been brought before the Delhi High Court. Digital content creator Nitin Joshi filed a public interest litigation alleging that syndicates are filing fabricated copyright complaints to trigger automated account suspensions, then demanding significant sums to withdraw them.
The petition, filed on July 10, names the Union of India, Meta Platforms Inc. (Instagram's parent company), and the Delhi government as respondents. The case was scheduled for hearing, but one judge recused himself. The High Court has directed the matter to be heard by a different bench on July 28.
According to the petition, Instagram's automated system suspends accounts based on copyright claims without human verification of ownership. This vulnerability is exploited by perpetrators who file false complaints, leading to account freezes. Subsequently, these groups demand money, sometimes hundreds of thousands of rupees, to reinstate the accounts.
Joshi himself claims to have been targeted after publishing a video exposing this alleged scam. The video, shared with his 1.6 million followers, was reportedly blocked globally by Meta within hours, based on a copyright complaint. Following this, other creators reportedly came forward to Joshi with similar experiences of extortion and fraudulent claims.
The petition seeks the establishment of a regulatory framework requiring verification of copyright ownership and human review before account suspension. It also calls for an investigation and prosecution of the alleged syndicates and a forensic audit of Meta's copyright claim system.