How to takedown content from Telegram channels & groups in 2025?

Telegram is a social media messaging app with inbuilt unique features of anonymity and large group creation that gives it a distinct positioning in the overall messaging app ecosystem. It is used by individuals looking to communicate with their friends and strangers, as well as businesses or individuals looking to broadcast their messages to a large audience across the world. However, this anonymity has also led to rampant telegram piracy and telegram copyright infringement. As a result, understanding the process of a telegram takedown is essential for content creators and rights holders.

Telegram was founded by Pavel Durov who has been on the run from Russia and established Telegram head office in Dubai, UAE. He has attracted controversy over telegram policies, especially regarding action against telegram in cases of illegal content. An existing case against telegram in the context of allowing widespread distribution of child pornography has led to the arrest and subsequent house arrest of Durov by French legal authorities.

Despite its innovative communication model, ongoing legal issues such as takedown requests and telegram DMCA cases—often sent to the telegram support mail id or telegram moderator mail id—highlight the challenges in regulating the platform.

Forms & Avenues of copyright infringement that happens on telegram:

• Telegram Groups and Copyright Infringement:  Telegram allows users to create groups where the owners of groups can be anonymous and can add thousands of users in the group. The groups can be private or public. These groups, often referred to when discussing takedown telegram groups, facilitate the sharing of long-form video content, text files, and audios. This combination of anonymous group owners with large group sizes and unlimited media sharing is matched by none other social messaging apps, and is the biggest contributor of content piracy, copyright infringement and illegal content sharing on the internet. In many instances, illegal content is shared without restriction, which has prompted many to seek a telegram takedown.

Group names being publicly searchable means that users can easily access premium content for free, which is a serious issue for creators. This searchability also makes it easier for rights holders to initiate a takedown on telegram when their work is misused.

• Telegram Bots: Telegram bots can work on a group or individual basis and can answer user queries based on the logic written. Advanced forms of bots can also do technical hacks and try to download illegal content and share with users.
• Direct Messaging and Illegal Content Sharing: Apart from groups and bots, telegram piracy also occurs in one-on-one messaging. Many pirates and hackers prefer this method to bypass group monitoring. Even when illegal content is flagged, the anonymity of direct messages makes a telegram takedown challenging, and the available action against telegram may be limited.

Telegram Policies Fuelling Piracy and Copyright Infringement:

As explained in the last section, It is not by accident that Telegram is the major hub of course and movie piracy in the global internet industry. Some additional policies which contribute to continuous rise of telegram copyright infringement are –

• Instead of primarily being a 1 on 1 messaging app, It is now acting as an unmoderated/least moderated Broadcast app; which brings greater implications, threat and responsibility of moderation.
• Anonymity of the user is maintained regardless of any illegal activities they may be involved in and the anonymity is still maintained even after being forced by the government authorities.
• Allowing searching groups by title, so that anyone in the world can search and join a group where illegal activities are being done (e.g. Child Pornography , piracy of paid movies, courses, secretive messaging about illegal activities, child). Such things can not happen on whatsapp or most other chat apps.
• Telegram’s intentional delay or insufficient response to takedown requests, often submitted via the telegram support mail id or telegram moderator mail id, means that multiple groups can be created by the same offender.
• Not replying appropriately with information to cyberpolice and courts across the world. Though the last arrest of the founder has led to slight improvements in this and telegram taking some more actions based on user complaints; though I will like to convey that they are still not enough.

Although there have been improvements after legal actions, the current response still leaves content creators seeking more robust takedown on telegram measures.

How to Initiate a Telegram Takedown: Documents & Steps?

Content creators looking to perform a telegram takedown have several options:

• Reporting via Email: Telegram’s official website provides a dedicated email – often referred to as the telegram support mail id ( dmca@telegram.org) – to report copyright violations. They can take anywhere from 5 to 30 days case to case and geography to geography to act on your telegram takedown request. When contacting them for a telegram takedown, you must include legal or copyright documentation, message links, group links, and screenshots showing the infringement. At least in initial reports, telegram expects you to provide all particular message links where the copyright infringement has taken place.
• Reporting Within the Telegram App: Telegram also has an app feature of reporting copyright infringement on any content/message but usually it does not lead to any action. If many people report similarly, then sometimes telegram does take an action. So, we can not say that it is a reliable method.
• Reporting via 3rd party vendors: Specialised vendors can act on your behalf to initiate a telegram takedown. These companies have experience in handling telegram copyright infringement and Telegram course piracy cases, often speeding up the process compared to direct reporting.

Taking Action Against Telegram Users Pirating Your Content

Unfortunately, there is no method to take a permanent action against an individual by directly reporting to telegram. If you report a group, then the group is taken down, but the same user can again create a group. Suppose, you had caught the user sharing illegal content in a 1on1 message, then telegram may block that particular user id, but the same user can create a new different user id on telegram from the same phone number. Telegram also never reveals the phone number of the hacker upon direct reporting.

But there are some things which telegram is forced to do if a court case is done and this depends on case to case basis. In some cases, telegram may decide to take down content faster or in very rare cases provide details of the original criminal (though that has occurred only a very few times out of all the cases done).

Past cases against Telegram for content piracy, terrorist communication and illegal sexual content

S.No.	Headlines	Summary	Links	Date	Source
1	Remove child sexual abuse material’: India warns Telegram	In a distressing move, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notice on Friday to various social media platforms, singling out Telegram, directing them to remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from their platforms in India. This underscores the grim reality of such content existing on these platforms and the pressure to eliminate it swiftly.	https://www.hindustantimes.com/india- news/remove-child-sexual-abuse- material-india-warns-x-youtube- telegram-101696652523819.html	Oct 7, 2023	Hindustan Times
2	Google and Apple crack whip on Hamas channels even as Telegram refuses to budge	Despite restrictions on Hamas channels by Google and Apple, its disheartening to note that the terror group’s online propaganda continues to find a platform on other versions of Telegram. The efforts to curb their presence on mainstream platforms seem to be lacking, allowing their messages to persist on alternative channels.	https://www.indiatoday. in/technology/news/story/google-apple-crack-whip-hamas-online-platform- telegram-refuses-to-budge-2457505-2023-11-03	Nov 3, 2023	India Today
3	SEBI imposes ₹2.84 crore penalty on Telegram channel for stock manipulation	In 2021, SEBI was confronted with two distressing complaints against a Telegram channel. The allegations were concerning as they implicated specific entities exploiting the social media platform, Telegram, to artificially inflate stock prices for their own gain, engaging in potentially illegal and unethical practices.	https://www.livemint.com/news/india/sebi-imposes-rs-2-84- crore-penalty-on-telegram-channel-for-stock-manipulation-11682525093821.html	Apr 26, 2023	Live Mint
4	Over 12,000 SBI employee data leaked on Telegram channels	In a troubling turn of events, the leaked data of over 12 thousand SBI employees and account holders indicates a worrisome possibility that India’s largest public sector bank may have overlooked or neglected certain warning signs. This breach raises significant doubts about the bank’s vigilance and responsiveness to potential threats, underscoring a potential lapse in their security protocols.	https://www.indiatoday. in/india/story/telegram-channels-leak- data-of-12-thousand-sbi-employees- ignored-some-red-flag-2405024-2023-07-11	Jul 11, 2023	India Today
5	CoWIN Data leak! Aadhaar, PAN Card info, shared on Covid vaccination portal, made public by Telegram: Report	Telegram has become a breeding ground for privacy nightmares, with reports surfacing that personal information of Indian citizens, including sensitive details like Aadhaar and PAN card information, has been exposed. This alarming revelation points to a dire data breach stemming from the CoWIN portal, further tarnishing Telegram’s reputation as a platform where users; confidential information is distressingly vulnerable.	https://www.livemint.com/news/india/cowin-data-leak-data- breach-aarogya-setu-aadhaar-pan- card-shared-on-covid-vaccination- portal-available-on-telegram-11686549051340.html	Jun 12, 2023	Mint
6	Indian film industry faces losses of Rs 20,000 cr annually due to piracy: Govt ……	In a grim disclosure, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur stated on Friday that the film industry is grappling with staggering annual losses of up to Rs. 20,000 crore, attributing this substantial financial setback to the rampant issue of piracy. This revelation sheds light on the persistent challenges faced by the industry and the dire consequences of intellectual property infringement.	https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/indian-film-industry-faces-losses-of-rs-20-000-cr- annually-due-to-piracy-govt-1.9041124	Nov 3, 2023	Mathrubhumi
7	Cyber cell sounds alarm as Kolkatans lose lakhs in Telegram, ..	In an alarming development, Kolkata Police is currently investigating two distinct cases involving online fraudsters exploiting social media platforms such as Telegram and Viber. These criminals are cunningly enticing unsuspecting netizens into investing in bitcoin, ultimately leading to their deception. The incidents highlight the dark side of online platforms and the urgent need for stringent measures to curb fraudulent activities.	https://timesofindia.indiatimes. com/city/kolkata/cyber-cell-sounds- alarm-as-kolkatans-lose-lakhs-in- telegram-viper- frauds/articleshow/103795979.cms	Sep 20, 2023	Times of India
8	Leaked: Ranbir Kapoor's Animal Full HD Movie Leaked Online On Tamilrockers	In a distressing turn of events, Ranbir Kapoor's crime-thriller “Animal” fell prey to piracy, as it was illicitly leaked on various torrent sites, allowing users to download the movie for free. This unfortunate incident undermines the efforts of the film industry to combat piracy, posing a significant threat to the revenue and success of the film	https://zeenews.india.com/bollywood/leaked-ranbir-kapoors- animal-full-hd-movie-leaked-online-on-tamilrockers-telegram-2694202.html	Dec 1, 2023	Zee News
9	Telegram vows to tackle child sexual abuse material on the Indian internet	Despite claims of a “zero-tolerance policy towards any unlawful activities,” Telegram's commitment is brought into question as they allegedly remove reported CP/CSAM/RGR content within 10-12 hours. This response time, although seemingly prompt, skirts the edge of Indian regulations, which mandate content removal within 24 hours. The effectiveness of Telegram's measures in addressing illegal content on its platform remains a subject of scrutiny.	https://www.indiatvnews. com/technology/news/telegram-s-pledge-eradicating-child-sexual-abuse-content-from-indian-internet-2023-10- 08-896781	Oct 8, 2023	India TV
10	Central nodal officers appointed to act against pirated content on digital platforms	Unfortunately, the current scenario lacks a dedicated institutional framework to proactively address pirated film content. Instead, the only recourse available is resorting to legal action under the Copyright Act and the IPC. This deficiency in a specialized approach raises concerns about the effectiveness of combating film piracy and protecting intellectual property in the absence of a more direct and comprehensive system.	https://indianexpress. com/article/entertainment/central- government-appoints-nodal-officers-to-act-against-film-piracy-9012133/	Nov 3, 2023	The Indian Express

Statistics of piracy on Telegram

Recent study by VdoCipher indicates a surge in telegram piracy:

• Over 5,000 groups with 1000+users each are involved in sharing pirated course content.
• More than 1,000 groups with over 10,000+ users accessing illegal content, emphasising the scale of Telegram course piracy.

Role of VdoCipher in preventing piracy on telegram

Given the rampant issues of telegram piracy and telegram copyright infringement, it is crucial for content creators to secure their work using advanced protection measures. As you can understand from the above article also, it is quite hard work after your content gets leaked on telegram. So in the first place, it is imperative to use advanced security tech solutions to stop illegal telegram piracy from your video platform.

VdoCipher provides highest security from video piracy through a combination of DRM encryption, user based watermark, piracy blocker and hacker identification tool that automatically identifies and blocks all simple and advanced forms of piracy. VdoCipher serves 3000+ video platforms and 10,000+ content creators across 120+ countries with its security tech. 250,000+ piracy attempts were blocked and 2100 unique users/hackers were identified and auto-blocked in the past 6 months by VdoCipher. There is a free full version of the trial available at vdocipher.com. For further protection against Telegram course piracy and similar threats, you can explore the free trial available at vdocipher.com or reach out via the telegram support email for additional inquiries.