The Centre has issued a notice to Telegram, asking the messaging platform to take immediate action against the spread of pirated films, OTT shows and other audio-visual content on its platform, officials said on Saturday.
Government sources said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from Telegram within 15 days. The move signals a broader push to hold digital platforms responsible for preventing piracy instead of relying only on individual content removals.
According to officials, the ministry has reminded Telegram that copyright infringement is not just a civil matter but can also attract criminal penalties under the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
The government has reportedly told the platform that simply removing channels after receiving complaints may not be enough to meet its legal obligations.
An official said that a channel-by-channel takedown system alone may not satisfy the due diligence requirements laid down under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021.
The development comes as the Centre increases its scrutiny of social media and messaging platforms. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notice to Meta over WhatsApp’s proposed username feature and later summoned the company following allegations that certain Instagram advertisements promoted child sexual abuse material.
Sources also said that MeitY has sent notices to Telegram and Signal regarding their existing username features.
Meanwhile, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has asked Telegram to provide details about its grievance redressal mechanism for film producers, OTT platforms and law enforcement agencies. The platform has also been reminded of its responsibilities as an intermediary under the IT Act and related rules.
Officials warned that if pirated content continues to remain accessible or if the company fails to respond satisfactorily, further action could be taken under existing laws.
The government said the move is intended to protect India’s creator economy, including filmmakers, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers and distributors, from losses caused by online piracy.