Delhi HC Cracks Down on Unauthorized Streaming: The Delhi High Court has prohibited online platforms from unauthorized broadcasting and transmission of the impending ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Star India Pvt. Ltd. and Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which administers the Disney+ Hotstar streaming platform, filed a lawsuit against each other.
Delhi HC Cracks Down on Unauthorized Streaming
The plaintiffs assert that they have exclusive global media rights, including television and digital rights, for ICC events such as the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India from October 5 to November 19.
As one of the most prominent sporting events in the world, a large number of websites are likely to engage in unauthorized distribution of World Cup content, according to the source.
Justice Prathiba M. Singh noted that the World Cup cricket matches were “extremely popular, especially in the Indian subcontinent” and that illegitimate websites, which in the past have also engaged in piracy, were likely to continue the authorized streaming of matches.
A recent court order stated, “Therefore, it is necessary to prohibit rogue websites from disseminating and communicating to the public any portion of the cricket match events without authorization or license from the plaintiffs.”
“Accordingly, defendant Nos. 1 to 9 (various rogue websites which are stated to be primarily hosting illegal and pirated content) are restrained by an ad-interim order from communicating, screening, making available or disseminating any part of the ICC World Cup Cricket matches on any electronic or digital platform in any manner whatsoever,” ordered the court.
The court stated that irreparable damage would be caused to the plaintiffs if an injunction is not granted at this stage.
It further directed the concerned authorities to block and suspend the websites and clarified that if additional infringing websites are discovered, the plaintiff can notify the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Electronics, and internet service provider so that blocking orders can be issued.
