Why have 8 leading entertainment companies approached the Delhi High Court?

Eight leading global entertainment companies - including Netflix, Warner Bros and Paramount Pictures - have moved the Delhi High Court seeking a permanent injunction against three ‘rogue cyberlocker websites’ for unauthorisedly hosting their copyrighted content [Warner Bros Entertainment Inc & Ors v. Doodstream.Com & Ors]..Justice Anish Dayal directed video sharing platform Doodstream and other similar sites to take down the infringing content and also disable the features which allow re-uploading of infringing content even after takedown orders.The Court further directed the platforms to disclose the revenues generated by them from the time of their launch and also disclose the number of requests they have received for delisting of content..The entertainment companies which have filed the joint suit against the alleged infringement of their copyrighted content are as follows:.Advocates Saikrishna Rajagopal, Suhasini Raina, R Ramya, Anjali Agrawal, Raghav Goyal, Mehr Sidhu and Ayush Saxena represented the plaintiffs.Advocates KS Elangovan, Venkatesh Mohanraj and Sameer Aslam represented the defendants..The companies, which produce movies and other major cinematographic works, alleged in their suit that 'cyberlocker' websites like Doodstream.com and its cognate domains provide an infrastructure specifically designed to incentivise hosting, uploading, storing, sharing, streaming and downloading of unauthorised content.It was further explained that platforms allow users to create a ‘library of content’ of both adult and non-adult material, which is then accessible globally through search. The Court was also told that the defendant platforms were being operated by individuals based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Earlier, a judicial tribunal in Paris had directed internet service providers to block access to their sites in France.Stating that such platforms even permit generation of a new link the moment the takedown takes place, counsel representing the entertainment companies described them as “hydra-headed monsters”..In response, the defendants submitted that they are ready to comply with complete takedown of the infringing material. It was also submitted that the feature allowing regeneration of links would be disabled. The Court was also assured that infringing content of any sort and of any party will not be permitted to be hosted or transmitted through their websites and, in any event..Following the undertaking, the Court passed the interim order in favour of the entertainment companies and directed that they be allowed to monitor the takedown of infringing listings.The Court will hear the matter next on April 8..[Read Order]