Policy · Consumer Internet & Media

India issues notice to Telegram over pirated content

What they do

Telegram is an encrypted messaging app that allows users to share files and messages privately

The Indian government issued a notice demanding details on its grievance redressal mechanism for copyright violations

This marks a shift from individual takedowns to holding the entire platform accountable for illegal content

The Centre issued a notice to Telegram regarding the distribution of pirated films and OTT content.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed Telegram to submit an Action Taken Report within 15 days.
The ministry sought details on Telegram’s grievance redressal mechanism for producers, OTT networks, and law enforcement.
Authorities warned Telegram of strict legal action if pirated content persists or the response is incomplete.
Copyright infringement is classified as both a civil violation and a criminal offence under Indian laws.
The government is shifting focus from channel-by-channel takedowns to platform-wide accountability enforcement.
MeitY temporarily banned Telegram until June 22 last month over fake exam paper sales and misinformation.
The Delhi High Court upheld the government restriction order despite Telegram's appeal against the ban.

Narcotics Control Bureau cited Telegram enabling drug-related advertising in its 2025 annual report.
NCB noted features like auto-deletion and anonymous usernames hinder tracing illicit activity.
The Centre sent notices to Telegram and Signal seeking details on addressing cybercrime risks from username features.
Centre concern: username-based connections enable impersonation and fraud instead of phone number requirements.
The government previously directed Meta-owned WhatsApp to pause username feature rollout and submit explanation.

Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging service focused on speed and security.
It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, and files of any type.
The platform supports group chats with up to 200,000 members per group.
Users can create public channels for broadcasting messages to unlimited audiences.
Telegram offers end-to-end encryption for secret chats between two specific users.
The app is available on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
It generates revenue through premium subscriptions offering additional storage and features.
Telegram operates globally without significant regional restrictions on core messaging functionality.
The company maintains servers worldwide to ensure fast message delivery across regions.

Telegram must submit an Action Taken Report within 15 days as directed by the ministry.
The company faces potential legal action if it fails to comply with the notice.
Regulators may enforce stricter platform-wide accountability measures for future content violations.