Google Sends Copyright Notice to The Wire Over Ambani Project Report

Google has reportedly sent a copyright violation notice to The Wire, an Indian news publication, concerning its reporting on Anant Ambani's Vantara project. Siddharth Varadarajan, The Wire's founding editor, stated on X that there was no "copyright violation" and suggested the notice was a "bogus charge" intended to suppress the story.

The report in question examined an open letter signed by 27 international organizations. This letter urged Vantara's Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to "permanently end all its wild animal imports and provide a public inventory of all animals being held in its facilities." The Wire alleges that the copyright claim is being used as a tool for censorship.

This incident occurs amidst broader concerns about media freedom and potential censorship tactics. Australian strategist John Pabon previously alleged that his critical video about the Vantara project was removed from Instagram due to a copyright claim filed by an unknown entity, suggesting a pattern of alleged manipulation of content removal systems.

MediaNama has previously reported on similar instances where copyright management tools have allegedly been exploited for content takedowns. Several publications have faced similar notices and temporary content removals related to Vantara coverage, although some have maintained their reporting online.