YouTuber takes down Rakibul Hussain's interview following legal notice from India Today

A YouTuber from Assam, Shahanur Islam, has received a legal notice for the unauthorized use of India Today Group's copyrighted content.

Shahanur Islam, based in Dhubri, Assam, uploaded a segment from India Today NE's copyrighted interview "Newsmakers in the House ft. Rakibul Hussain (EP-1)" on his YouTube channel 'D. বার্তা 24x7' without permission. The unauthorized content was available to the public under the title "ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় নিউজ চেনেনলৰ ষ্টুডিওত গৈ কি দশা হল ৰকিবুলৰ, চাওঁক এবাৰ। শ্বেয়াৰ, কমেন্ট প্লিজ। #viral #asmr" on YouTube.

India Today NE had originally published the exclusive interview with Congress MP Rakibul Hussain on all its official social media platforms on July 12, 2024. Shortly after, the channel discovered that Shahanur Islam had not only reproduced a portion of the interview on his own social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, but also added his channel's logo, misleading the public to believe he owned the content.

This act constituted a clear violation of India Today NE's exclusive rights. Shahanur Islam's actions diverted viewers from the original channel to his own, seeking to benefit from India Today NE's investment in the content without making any of his own.

Following the discovery, India Today NE issued a legal notice to Shahanur Islam, prompting him to remove the unauthorized interview from all his platforms. The notice also offered a chance to resolve the matter amicably, requiring him to acknowledge receipt and comply within seven days.

Sending out a strong warning to other YouTubers for using the channel's copyrighted content, India Today Group is steadfast in taking similar legal action against those for copyright infringement.

India Today NE operates not only on traditional TV platforms but also through a digital platform/website and various social media profiles under the trademark 'INDIA TODAY NE.' This platform disseminates news and updates about current events in Northeast India, including states like Assam, Sikkim, and Manipur.

The Copyright Act of 1957 governs intellectual property rights in India, granting creators exclusive control over the use, reproduction, and distribution of their works. This law protects all forms of literary, artistic, and musical works, ensuring creators can safeguard their intellectual property.