"Fair Use Is Not Piracy": MP Raghav Chadha calls for copyright law overhaul; Watch Video
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, January 9, 2026: Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha today urged the government to modernize the outdated Copyright Act of 1957, arguing that current laws leave millions of Indian digital creators vulnerable to "arbitrary, algorithm-driven" copyright strikes.
Speaking in Parliament, the AAP leader emphasized that digital channels are no longer just hobbies but valuable assets and primary sources of income that can be destroyed in minutes by automated takedowns.
Chadha asserted that "Fair Use is not piracy" and called for a legal framework that clearly defines and protects transformative and incidental use—such as satire, news reporting, and educational critiques.
He argued that the 1957 Act, written long before the era of YouTube and Instagram, fails to recognize the nuances of digital content.
His proposal includes introducing a doctrine of proportionality to ensure that minor, incidental use of copyrighted material does not lead to the complete deletion of a creator's years of work, ensuring that creativity in India can thrive without constant fear of censorship.
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