Government orders Telegram to remove over 3,100 piracy channels

The move marks one of the largest actions against digital piracy in India, highlighting the government’s efforts to safeguard intellectual property and ensure online platforms comply with copyright and intermediary regulations.

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered messaging platform Telegram to remove more than 3,100 channels accused of distributing pirated digital content. The directive, issued on March 11, instructs the platform to disable access to the identified channels within three hours of receiving the notice.

The move follows complaints from several streaming services, including JioCinema and Amazon Prime Video, which alleged that copyrighted films, web series, and other digital content were being illegally shared through Telegram channels. Authorities reportedly found that many of these channels were hosting or circulating links to copyrighted material without permission from the original content owners.

Government officials said the action was taken after verifying the complaints and determining that the activities violated provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957. In the official notice, the government instructed Telegram to remove the identified channels and restrict access to their content while ensuring that digital evidence related to the violations remains preserved.

Large-scale crackdown on online piracy

The government’s order reportedly covers a total of 3,142 Telegram channels suspected of facilitating widespread piracy. According to officials, the scale of the infringement was significant, with many channels hosting thousands of links to pirated movies, television shows, and other entertainment content.

Authorities said that messaging platforms with large file-sharing capabilities can sometimes be misused to distribute unauthorised content. The crackdown is part of broader efforts to protect intellectual property rights and support the creative and entertainment industries.

Strengthening oversight of online platforms

The action also comes as the government continues to tighten regulatory oversight of digital intermediaries under India’s technology laws. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology previously introduced amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 to strengthen the responsibilities of online platforms.

Under these rules, intermediaries such as social media and messaging platforms are required to remove unlawful or infringing content once they receive official notice or court orders. The updated framework also emphasises greater transparency, stronger due diligence, and improved accountability mechanisms for digital platforms operating in India.

Officials say the latest action reflects the government’s growing focus on combating online piracy while ensuring that digital platforms comply with existing copyright and information technology laws.