The Delhi High Court has sought responses from Meta Platforms and the Central Government on a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that copyright complaints on social media platforms are being misused by third-party actors to extort digital content creators. The petition claims that fraudulent copyright strikes are increasingly being used to pressure creators into paying money in exchange for the restoration of their content, raising concerns about the effectiveness of existing grievance redressal mechanisms.

A bench comprising Justices V. Kameswar Rao and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued notices while hearing the PIL filed by Noida-based content creator Nitin Joshi, who has more than 1.6 million Instagram followers. Joshi, known for producing content on entrepreneurship, finance, branding, business strategy and marketing, has urged the court to examine what he describes as a growing pattern of abuse within the platform's copyright enforcement system.

The petition follows a video published by Joshi on July 7 titled "Instagram's Biggest Copyright Scam", in which he alleged that organised groups were filing coordinated copyright complaints against creators. According to the petition, such complaints can lead to content being removed or restricted, after which creators are allegedly contacted by individuals demanding payment to facilitate the withdrawal of the complaints or restoration of the affected content.

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During the proceedings, the High Court took note of the allegations and directed both Meta and the Centre to submit their responses. The case raises broader questions about whether existing copyright complaint mechanisms on social media platforms provide adequate safeguards against misuse and whether innocent creators have access to timely and effective remedies when false or malicious claims are filed against their content.

The issue has reportedly affected creators across multiple content categories. Among those cited is Mahak Kapoor, an automobile content creator, who claimed that several of her Instagram reels had been blocked globally following copyright strikes. Similar experiences shared by other creators have intensified calls for greater transparency in the way copyright complaints are reviewed and resolved by digital platforms.

The outcome of the case could have significant implications for India's growing creator economy, where millions rely on social media platforms for income and audience engagement. The High Court's consideration of the matter is expected to examine the responsibilities of both digital platforms and government authorities in ensuring that copyright protection mechanisms are not exploited as tools for harassment, extortion or the suppression of legitimate content.

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