The Delhi High Court is reviewing a case involving financial educator Pushkar Raj Thakur, who alleges that Meta's automated copyright enforcement system was exploited to remove his original videos. The complaint, registered in May, claims that bad actors uploaded unrelated content to Facebook pages and later replaced it with copies of Thakur's videos, using Facebook's "Edit Post" feature to backdate the posts. This manipulation triggered Meta's system to take down Thakur's originals, according to medianama.com.
The case was first heard by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, who issued summons to the defendants. Thakur's counsel argued that he is the original creator of the videos being removed due to counter strikes filed by the defendants. The counsel pointed out that the same videos remained accessible on YouTube, supporting the claim of originality. The court is examining whether the defendants abused the copyright system by exploiting the backdating feature to file false claims.
This case highlights potential vulnerabilities in automated copyright enforcement mechanisms on social media platforms. Meta's system is designed to protect creators from piracy but may be susceptible to manipulation through features like post editing. The outcome could influence how platforms balance automated takedowns with safeguards against misuse, amid growing concerns over copyright enforcement fairness. Similar disputes have raised questions about the effectiveness of automated content moderation tools.
The Delhi High Court's ongoing review of the case will determine the legality of the alleged manipulation and the adequacy of Meta's enforcement system. The next hearing is scheduled later this month, when the court will consider further submissions from both parties, according to medianama.com.