Centre blocks 4,996 Telegram channels, 1,263 websites in anti-piracy crackdown

Under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, intermediaries are required to remove any content that violates any law for the time being in force.

The central government has strengthened the legal and institutional framework to deal with online piracy of films, including the unauthorised dissemination of films through intermediaries such as Telegram, the ministry of information and broadcasting told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The minister of state for information and broadcasting, Dr L Murugan, said that 7,393 URLs have been disabled as part of the action. The information was provided in a written reply to a Question asked by Janasena Party’s Balashowry Vallabhaneni.

The intermediaries have been directed to disable 7,393 URLs, including 1,263 websites and 4,996 Telegram channels, for film piracy, in accordance with various provisions of law governing takedown orders.

The amendment to the Cinematography Act

The Cinematograph Act, 1952, was amended through the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023, to introduce specific provisions to curb unauthorised recording and exhibition of films. The newly inserted Section 7(1B)(ii) empowers the government, under Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to take action against intermediaries hosting pirated content.

Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000 provides for notification by appropriate governments to the intermediaries for removing/disabling access to unlawful content.

Under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, intermediaries are required to remove any content that violates any law for the time being in force, as and when it comes to their knowledge, whether through a court order or a notice from the appropriate government or its authorised agency.

What happens when a complaint is received

The ministry of information and broadcasting issues notifications to intermediaries upon receiving a complaint of film piracy, directing them to remove or disable access to infringing content expeditiously.

The government has also authorised the ministry of information and broadcasting joint secretary, who oversees films, to issue content takedown notices to intermediaries under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, and the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Another way it works is through an institutional mechanism established within the ministry to receive complaints from copyright holders about pirated film copies available on the internet and to issue notifications to intermediaries to disable access to such content.

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