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The central government has strengthened the legal and institutional framework to deal with online piracy of cinematograph films, including unauthorised dissemination of films through intermediaries such as Telegram.
As part of it, 7,393 URLs have been disabled. The information was provided by the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr L Murugan, in a written reply to a Question asked by Balashowry Vallabhaneni in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Cinematograph Act, 1952 was amended through the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 to introduce specific provisions to curb unauthorised recording and exhibition of films. The newly inserted Section 7(1B)(ii) empowers the government, under Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to take action against intermediaries hosting pirated content. Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000 provides for notification by appropriate governments to the intermediaries for removing/disabling access to unlawful content. Under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, the intermediaries are required to remove any content violative of any law for the time being in force as and when brought to their knowledge either through a court order or through a notice by the appropriate government or its authorised agency. On receipt of complaints regarding piracy of films, the Ministry issues notifications to intermediaries directing them to remove or disable access to infringing content expeditiously. The government has also authorised the Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to issue content takedown notices to intermediaries under the Information Technology Rules, 2021 and the Cinematograph Act, 1952. An institutional mechanism has also been established in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to receive complaints from copyright holders regarding pirated copies of films available on the internet and to issue notifications to intermediaries for disabling access to such content. In accordance with the above-mentioned provisions of law, the intermediaries have been directed to disable 7,393 URLs, including 1,263 websites and 4,996 Telegram channels for film piracy. (ANI)
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