Govt’s anti-piracy push under scrutiny

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : The government move to assign nodal officers to combat movie piracy is well-intentioned, but experts expressed scepticism, anticipating a gradual impact amid operational challenges. The initiative addresses theatrical piracy, but raises concerns as it excludes OTT content and premium live broadcasting, offering limited relief to broadcasters and streaming platforms.

The legal head of a film studio, seeking anonymity, questioned the practicality of the move. “On paper, the initiative provides a glimmer of hope to entertainment firms for action against piracy within 48 hours.

But as with any new process, the people involved may not have immediate understanding of what is to be done, and several operational challenges will have to be ironed out." According to experts, ambiguity on follow-up actions and handling of content acquired from external sources could pose concerns for production houses. The potential financial burden on production houses is a concern as they might need to shift from engaging private anti-piracy agencies to dealing with nodal officers.

Vinay Butani, a partner at Economic Laws Practice, said content removal within the mandated 48 hours may be an issue due to the sheer volume of complaints, and the limited number of nodal officers. “This could be further exacerbated by the absence of control over the content on streaming platforms," he added.