An Indian court has ordered messaging app Telegram to release details of channels involved in a copyright infringement case in the country after Telegram failed to argue that doing so would violate its privacy policy with users. This isn’t the primary time the app has come under fire for its privacy policy.
- What the critics are saying?
Critics say the app gained some notoriety after it enabled extremist groups to communicate and grow their numbers. Earlier this year in Brazil, a court ordered Apple and Google to remove Telegram from their app stores because of how it was being used to spread misinformation. (The subsequent ban was lifted within three days of complying with Telegram’s takedown request.) But this latest case appears to be the first time a court has ordered Telegram to disclose user data particularly related to copyright violation anywhere and the first time an Indian court has ordered an app to reveal data related to copyright violation.
- What Delhi high-court has ordered?
The Delhi High Court has ordered the Dubai-headquartered firm to submit details such as mobile numbers, IP addresses and email IDs used to upload infringing content while hearing a case filed by a teacher against those involved in sharing the messaging app and its copyright studies. Material.
Telegram argued that the expression of user information would contravene its privacy policy and the laws of Singapore, where it situated its physical servers to store user data. Telegram did not respond to an insistence for a comment on the order.
In a court filing, the complainant, Neetu Singh, submitted a list of channels that aired her lectures and competitive exam books. The complainant said that the media were selling content at discounted prices. “If there are any more list[s] of infringing channels, the same [must] be submitted to Telegram within one week.
Data relating to the infringing channels and the devices/servers/networks on which they are created, their creators, operators including any phone numbers, IP addresses, email addresses used for this purpose will be disclosed by Telegram during the next two weeks,” 51- Page Order (PDF) said.
Conclusion: Telegram, India’s largest market, amassed 700 million users in June. At the time, it also introduced a premium tier to monetize its growth against the likes of WhatsApp and Signal. Telegram’s public claim to prioritize user privacy has helped it gain the attention of many Indian users amid growing negative sentiment against WhatsApp due to its 2021 privacy policy update. But the Meta-owned app has maintained its dominance in the South Asian market.
