India orders Telegram to remove pirated film OTT content

The Indian government has issued a formal notice to the messaging platform Telegram, demanding immediate action to curb the widespread piracy of films, web series, and other copyrighted content on its service. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed Telegram on Saturday, July 4, 2026, to proactively remove infringing channels and strengthen its anti-piracy mechanisms, warning that failure to comply could lead to further legal action.

Officials stated the notice was issued after reviewing complaints from content owners and identifying 3,142 Telegram channels allegedly distributing pirated material without authorization. The ministry has instructed Telegram to take action against repeat offenders, which include channels, groups, bots, user accounts, and administrators involved in disseminating pirated content. The platform must also provide details of its grievance redressal system for producers, over-the-top (OTT) platforms, and law enforcement agencies.

A central demand is the submission of an Action Taken Report within 15 days, detailing the steps Telegram has implemented to prevent, detect, and remove pirated content. The government emphasized that this marks a...