Laxman flags concern over rising online piracy menace

Hyderabad: Member of Parliament Dr K Laxman has raised serious concerns in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday over the growing menace of online piracy of films and digital content, warning that it poses a fast-growing threat to India’s cultural economy, creative industries, and intellectual property. He urged the Government to strengthen legislation, enforcement, and public awareness to safeguard the country’s digital creative economy.

Highlighting the rising impact of digital piracy, Dr Laxman noted that pirated films, OTT content, sports broadcasts, and even educational material are being illegally circulated across websites, messaging platforms, and social media. This, he said, has caused massive financial losses to producers, digital platforms, and the entertainment sector, with the industry estimated to lose thousands of crores annually. The losses undermine employment, investor confidence, and government revenue. He stressed that piracy violates copyright law and exploits the intellectual labour of millions of creative workers, including artists, writers, technicians, and producers. Despite existing legal provisions, piracy thrives due to online anonymity, cross-border hosting, and replication through mirror sites.

On enforcement challenges, Dr Laxman pointed out that cloned sites and re-uploads appear almost immediately after courts issue blocking orders. He also flagged public perception as a major obstacle, with many consumers still viewing pirated content as harmless. He called for targeted awareness campaigns and stronger penalties to change consumer attitudes and curb demand.

Dr Laxman further emphasised the need for technological measures, urging the adoption of digital watermarking, AI-assisted tracking, and faster takedown processes in cooperation with Internet Service Providers. Coordinated action between platforms and enforcement agencies, he said, is crucial to disrupt piracy networks quickly. Citing a Hyderabad case, he referred to the arrest of a man who allegedly earned Rs 20 crore through large-scale piracy, distributing over 21,000 films, with assets worth Rs 3.5 crore frozen.

The case, he argued, illustrates the scale of piracy operations and the need for robust investigation and financial tracking. Concluding his statement, Dr Laxman demanded stronger laws, enhanced enforcement capacity, and greater public awareness. He asserted that only a combination of legislation, technology, and informed citizens can effectively safeguard India’s digital creative economy from the ongoing threat of online piracy.