A public interest litigation filed by digital content creator Nitin Joshi alleges organised syndicates are using fake copyright complaints to extort lakhs of rupees from Instagram creators. The petition, submitted on July 10, is before the Delhi High Court, which has scheduled a hearing for July 28, after Justice Tejas Karia recused himself and Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya reassigned the case, according to medianama.com.
The petition names the Union of India through MeitY, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Meta Platforms Inc via its grievance officer, and the Delhi government as respondents. It claims that syndicates file fabricated copyright strikes triggering automated account suspensions on Instagram. Meta’s Rights Manager system scans content for matches and enforces pre-configured actions without human review, causing immediate harm to creators while resolution takes weeks, medianama.com reported.
This case highlights vulnerabilities in automated copyright enforcement on social media platforms. Meta’s system allows rights holders to upload reference files and pre-set responses, but does not require human verification before penalising accounts. The petition underscores how this mechanism can be exploited for extortion, affecting creators’ livelihoods. The issue raises broader questions about balancing copyright protection with safeguards against abuse in digital content regulation.
The Delhi High Court will hear the petition on July 28, as directed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, marking a critical step in addressing alleged misuse of copyright enforcement on Instagram in India, medianama.com reported.