Government issues notice to Telegram over widespread films and OTT content piracy; Action Taken Report to be submitted in 15 days
The social media platform Telegram seems to be under regular scrutiny in India. Last month, Telegram was banned in India from 16th June to 22nd June ahead of NEET UG 2026 re-exam (held on 21st June), and its message-editing feature was disabled till 30th June on the recommendations of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
This was done to prevent paper leaks, cheating rackets and fabrication of fake paper leaks proofs. After the ban was removed, it was reported that the government has sent notice to WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal over their respective username feature at the beginning of this month.
And now, it is reported that Telegram has received a second notice from the Indian government. According to reports, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has today issued a notice to Telegram over the widespread circulation of pirated films and OTT content on its platform.
Previously, the government took action against more than 3,000 Telegram channels for carrying pirated content and warned that the availability of such content could invite further examination.
It is reported that in the latest notice the government has asked Telegram to move beyond individual takedowns and adopt a platform-level approach to tackling piracy. Telegram is directed to act against repeat infringers, including channels, groups, bots, accounts, administrators and associated entities.
The platform has also been asked to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days. It is said that the move is aimed at protecting India’s creator economy, film industry, broadcasters, OTT platforms, producers and distributors.
Telegram is also reminded that as an intermediary, it is required to observe due diligence under the IT Act 2000 and the IT Rules 2021.
