📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Finance of India
Technology
India Calls for Immediate Crackdown on Illegal OTT Shows Shared via Telegram
✍️ Goodreturns
🗓 26 Aug 2026, 05:03 AM
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The government has urged telecom and law‑enforcement agencies to act swiftly against the illegal sharing of OTT content on Telegram, citing rising piracy concerns.
New Delhi – The central government has issued a directive to relevant authorities, demanding prompt action to curb the distribution of copyrighted OTT series and movies on the messaging platform Telegram. Officials highlighted that the ease of sharing large video files on the app has facilitated widespread piracy, affecting the revenues of Indian streaming services.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has asked telecom operators and cyber‑crime cells to monitor Telegram channels and groups that host pirated content. The agencies are instructed to block offending channels, seize servers where feasible, and initiate legal proceedings against repeat offenders.
Industry bodies representing OTT platforms welcomed the move, noting that illegal streaming erodes subscriber growth and undermines investments in original Indian content. They have pledged to cooperate with law‑enforcement by providing takedown notices and evidence of infringement.
While the government has not disclosed specific numbers of channels or the timeline for enforcement, it emphasized that the crackdown will be part of a broader effort to protect intellectual property rights in the digital ecosystem.
Stakeholders are awaiting further guidelines on the procedural aspects of the takedown process, and the Ministry has promised regular updates as the operation progresses.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has asked telecom operators and cyber‑crime cells to monitor Telegram channels and groups that host pirated content. The agencies are instructed to block offending channels, seize servers where feasible, and initiate legal proceedings against repeat offenders.
Industry bodies representing OTT platforms welcomed the move, noting that illegal streaming erodes subscriber growth and undermines investments in original Indian content. They have pledged to cooperate with law‑enforcement by providing takedown notices and evidence of infringement.
While the government has not disclosed specific numbers of channels or the timeline for enforcement, it emphasized that the crackdown will be part of a broader effort to protect intellectual property rights in the digital ecosystem.
Stakeholders are awaiting further guidelines on the procedural aspects of the takedown process, and the Ministry has promised regular updates as the operation progresses.