Telegram Under Fire for Movie Piracy

The Indian government has taken another strong step against online piracy by sending a notice to Telegram. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has asked the messaging platform to immediately stop the sharing of pirated movies, web series, and other copyrighted content through its channels and groups.

According to reports, the ministry is worried that many Telegram groups are illegally sharing newly released films and OTT content without permission. This practice causes huge losses to filmmakers, producers, OTT platforms, broadcasters, and other people connected to the entertainment industry.

The government has directed Telegram to introduce stronger systems to detect and remove pirated content from its platform. It has also asked the company to improve its monitoring process so that such copyright violations can be prevented in the future.

Telegram has been given 15 days to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR). The report should explain what steps the company has taken to remove illegal content and prevent further misuse of its platform.

Online piracy has been a major concern for India's film and streaming industry for many years. Pirated copies of movies and web series often appear online within hours of their release. Industry experts say this affects box office collections, OTT revenues, and the income of thousands of people working in the entertainment business.

This is not the first time Telegram has come under the government's attention. A few days ago, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) also sent notices to Telegram and Signal regarding their username feature. The government wanted both platforms to explain how they prevent impersonation, phishing, and online fraud using usernames.

Last month, Telegram also faced a temporary ban before the NEET re-examination. The restriction remained in place for several days. The company later challenged the decision in the Delhi High Court, but the court supported the government's action.