Govt directs Telegram to remove pirated content

According to sources, the messaging platform has been asked to take down 3,100 channels and their content, which violated the Copyright Act, within three hours of receiving the intimation.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued the notice to Telegram under the Information Technology Act, 2000, said sources.

The action comes after multiple OTT platforms, including JioCinema and Amazon Prime Video, raised concerns about the widespread illegal distribution of copyrighted movies and web series through Telegram channels. They reported the issue to the government, stating that their content was being shared without authorisation on a large scale.

Sources said that the action was taken after reviewing the complaints and investigating the issue. The said the authorities identified 3,142 Telegram channels allegedly involved in distributing pirated content. They added that these channels were sharing films and OTT material related to about 1,166 titles.

Last month, the government had blocked five OTT platforms -- MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel, and Jugnu for streaming obscene content.