Telegram Receives Government Notice Over Pirated Film Distribution

Messaging service Telegram has been issued a new notice by India's central government regarding its alleged role in distributing pirated films and Over-The-Top (OTT) content. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed Telegram to submit an Action Taken Report within 15 days, along with details on its grievance redressal mechanism for content creators, OTT networks, and law enforcement.

The ministry emphasized that copyright infringement is both a civil and criminal offense under Indian law. While authorities previously focused on takedown requests for specific channels, the current approach aims for platform-wide accountability. Telegram has been warned of strict legal action if pirated content remains available or if its response is deemed incomplete or evasive.

This is not the first time Telegram has faced scrutiny. Last month, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) temporarily banned the app over allegations of its use in selling fake exam papers, spreading misinformation, and fabricating evidence of exam leaks. A specific channel, "NEET Mafia," was identified as distributing content related to such leaks.

Despite Telegram's appeals, the Delhi High Court upheld the government's order. While access was reinstated after the exams, the Narcotics Control Bureau also recently flagged Telegram in its annual report for enabling drug-related advertising, citing features like auto-deleting messages and anonymous identities that hinder tracking illicit activities.

Furthermore, the government recently sent notices to Telegram and Signal regarding cybersecurity concerns related to their username features, which could facilitate impersonation and fraud. Meta-owned WhatsApp also faced similar queries from the government regarding its username feature rollout.