Recently, the issue of username was in the news on the social media platform WhatsApp, after which the government stopped this feature due to many concerns. Now after WhatsApp, the government has also issued a notice to Telegram. The central government has taken a strict stance against the messaging platform Telegram to prevent online piracy in India. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a notice to Telegram directing it to strengthen its anti-piracy system and submit a report within 15 days on the steps taken. The government says that a large amount of pirated films, OTT content and copyrighted content are being shared on the platform, causing huge losses to the film industry and the creative economy.
**What did the government say to Telegram**
According to reports, the Ministry has clearly directed Telegram to create a robust system to identify, report, block and remove pirated films and audio-video content that infringe copyright. Additionally, the government believes that merely removing content after receiving a complaint is not enough; The platform should itself identify such content and take necessary steps to remove it in a timely manner.
**Demand for grievance redressal**
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also sought complete information about Telegram’s complaint redressal system. The government wants to know how film producers, OTT platforms, broadcasters and law enforcement agencies can lodge complaints about pirated content and how quickly those complaints are processed.
**Action against repeat violators**
The government has also asked Telegram to take strict action against users and networks who repeatedly share pirated content. This includes not just individual accounts, but also channels, groups, bots, administrators, and their associated networks. This step of the government has been taken with the aim of eliminating the entire network which is continuously distributing pirated copies of films and web series among the public.
**Submit report within 15 days**
The government has directed Telegram to submit a detailed ‘Action Taken Report’ (ATR) within 15 days. In this report, the platform will have to provide details of the steps taken to identify, block and remove pirated content. If the report is not submitted within the stipulated time limit, the government can take further action under the existing legal provisions.
**Responsibilities under IT and copyright laws**
The government has told Telegram that as an intermediary in India, it will have to take necessary precautions under the IT Act, 2000 and IT Rules, 2021. The government says that the purpose of this step is to protect the interests of India’s rapidly growing creative economy, film industry, OTT platforms, broadcasters, film producers and distributors. Easy availability of pirated content on digital platforms not only causes financial loss to content creators but also has a direct impact on the industry. Therefore, the government is now taking strict steps to fix accountability at the platform level.
