Telegram Faces Action for Piracy: MIB’s Crackdown on Copyright Infringement

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken a decisive step on March 11, directing the instant-messaging platform Telegram to eliminate channels that disseminate copyrighted material from OTT platforms and producers.

The government has reportedly instructed Telegram to take down over 3,100 channels accused of distributing pirated content. This action follows complaints from various OTT platforms, including JioCinema and Amazon Prime Video.

According to the notice, the intermediary Telegram is officially notified to remove and disable access to the affected channels, including all associated content, within three hours of this communication while ensuring that no evidence is compromised in the process.

Piracy Under India’s Copyright Act

The takedown requests were initiated due to breaches of the Copyright Act of 1957, which safeguards creators, producers, and companies against the unauthorised use of their films, shows, music, and various other creative works.

Scope of the Crackdown

The extent of this crackdown is reportedly substantial, with the Ministry highlighting numerous Telegram channels that feature over 2,000 pirated links. Notably, more than 150 channels each contain upwards of 500 such links.

These links encompass a wide range of popular online content, from web series and animated series to movies and television shows. Additionally, some links also involve audio stories and podcasts.

MIB’s Piracy Crackdown Intensifies

Due to Telegram’s structure, which allows for 2GB file uploads and user anonymity, there are claims that these features have been exploited. It is reported that this has led to the illegal distribution of 1,166 titles from major studios, including Amazon, Jio, and Sony, prompting the government to take necessary action.

This action by MIB represents the most extensive single-platform piracy operation, following notifications to 18 other platforms in 2025-26.