Content Creators Move Delhi HC Alleging Misuse Of Facebook 'Edit Post' Tool To Trigger False Copyright Strikes

Two content creators have approached the Delhi High Court alleging that Meta's copyright enforcement system is being exploited by bad actors who manipulate Facebook's "Edit Post" feature to make stolen videos appear older.

They claim the allegedly backdated posts are then used to file false copyright complaints against the original creators, resulting in repeated takedowns of their own content.

While one creator says the alleged abuse led to the permanent disabling of his verified Instagram account, the other alleges it disrupted his online business by targeting his educational content.

Justice Jyoti Singh is hearing a suit recently filed by Neeraj Joshi. A similar suit filed earlier by educator and content creator Pushkar Raj Thakur is pending before Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani.

In Joshi's case, the court recently issued summons and recorded Meta's statement that, if his account had not already been permanently disabled, it would investigate the allegations and preserve his verified Instagram account.

It also directed Meta to provide the requisite BSI details and IP logs within three weeks.

In Thakur's case, which was first taken up in May and came up again on July 1, the court recorded Meta's assurances that his videos would not be taken down on the basis of copyright strikes until the next hearing, that his account would not be closed because of alleged repeated copyright strikes, and that deleted videos would be restored upon being furnished with the relevant URLs.

According to the suits, both creators allege that unidentified persons exploited a loophole in Meta's copyright enforcement framework to target original content creators.

Joshi claims the suit exposes "a far more serious and systemic failure in the copyright enforcement architecture" of Meta and alleges that the lacunae in its "Rights Manager" and copyright enforcement framework have been "weaponised... as an instrument of coordinated extortion and harassment."

Thakur similarly alleges that Meta's platform architecture enables infringers to "artificially backdate stolen content and conceal the true date and time of republication."

He claims they rely on "manipulated and backdated Facebook posts as purported proof of prior ownership" to initiate copyright strikes against the original creator's content.

According to the suit, the mechanism "enables infringers to weaponise Defendant No. 2's [Meta] publication and rights-management architecture against legitimate content creators."

Joshi further alleges that he received WhatsApp messages demanding money to withdraw the copyright complaints. He claims he repeatedly informed Meta about the alleged extortion and submitted raw footage and other supporting material, yet his verified Instagram account was permanently disabled.

Thakur alleges that unauthorised copies of his proprietary educational courses were being disseminated and sold online. He contends that despite the "foreseeable likelihood of abuse and the grave consequences arising therefrom,"

Meta "failed to implement safeguards, transparency mechanisms, or verification standards to prevent such deceptive manipulation of publication chronology and wrongful assertion of copyright ownership."

The court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of these allegations.

In Joshi's case, it issued a summons in the suit and notice on the interim injunction application. It also recorded Meta's statement that, if the account had not already been permanently disabled, it would investigate the allegations and preserve Joshi's verified Instagram account.

Separately, the court directed Meta to furnish the requisite BSI details and IP logs to Joshi within three weeks.

In Thakur's case, it recorded and noted Meta's assurances that his videos would not be taken down on the basis of copyright strikes until the next hearing, that his account would not be closed because of alleged repeated copyright strikes, and that, subject to Thakur furnishing the relevant URLs, his deleted videos would be restored.

Joshi's plea is next listed before the court on August 5, while Thakur's matter will be heard on July 17.

For Joshi and Thakur: Advocates Muskaan Garg and Himanshu Goyal, Advocates.

For Meta Platforms (Defendant No. 2): Advocates Varun Pathak, Vishesh Sharma and Prasidhi Agrawal, .

Click Here To Read Neeraj Joshi Order

Click Here to Read Pushkar Raj Thakur Order