I&B ministry allows officials to block, take down sites streaming pirated film content

Cracking down on piracy, the ministry of information and broadcasting has authorised its officials and those of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to block or take down sites that carry pirated film content.

The ministry has set up an institutional mechanism of nodal officers to receive complaints against piracy and direct intermediaries to take down pirated content on digital platforms, it said on a release on November 3. The move follows up the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 1952, which was passed by Parliament during this year’s monsoon session.

It is estimated that the film industry losses Rs 20,000 crore annually to piracy. India was the third highest contributor, after the US and Russia, of visits to content piracy websites, with over 7 billion visits through torrent sites in 2022, according to a report by global advisory firm Ankura.

Spider-Man: No Way Home, KGF: Chapter 2 and RRR were among the most pirated films in India.

Until now, there was no mechanism to directly take action on pirated film content except legal action under the Copyright Act and IPC (Indian Penal Code).

With the proliferation of internet and almost everyone interested in watching film content for free, piracy was booming, the ministry said. The move would allow instant action and provide relief to the industry, the release said.

Also read: What is Cinematograph Bill 2023 and why is film industry cheering it? All you need to know

After receiving directions from the nodal officer, the digital platform would be obliged to remove internet links hosting pirated content within 48 hours.

An original copyright holder or any person authorised by them for this purpose can apply to the nodal officer to take down the pirated content.

If a complaint is raised by a person who does not hold the copyright or is not authorised by the holder, the nodal officer can hold hearings on a case-to-case basis to decide the authenticity of the complaint before issuing directions.

Also read: Govt, film industry continue war on piracy but illegal online movie releases still rampant

I&B minister Anurag Thakur has said the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act aimed to curb film piracy, a long standing demand of the film industry.

The Act was amended after 40 years to incorporate provisions against film piracy, including digital piracy after the last significant amendments were made in 1984.

The amendment included a minimum three-month imprisonment, which can be extended to three years and fine of Rs 3 lakh that can be increased to up to 5 percent of the audited gross production cost.