Hyderabad, March 16 (NationPress) - The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau's (TGCSB) anti-piracy division has unveiled a new anti-piracy disclaimer that will be displayed prior to movie screenings in cinemas, accompanied by a robust Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for investigating piracy cases.

This disclaimer is designed to enhance public awareness regarding the legal repercussions of film piracy, and it marks the initiation of a campaign aimed at combating camcording in theatre environments.

Additionally, the TGCSB has introduced the SOP to bolster efforts against digital film piracy. This framework aims to improve the investigation process, facilitate the collection of digital evidence, and enable coordinated actions against piracy syndicates.

The launch event was presided over by Shikha Goel, Director of TGCSB, and Daggubati Suresh Babu, President of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, during a stakeholder consultation meeting organized by TGCSB in partnership with the TFCC. This collaboration seeks to enhance the synergy between law enforcement and the film industry in tackling the escalating issue of digital piracy.

Earlier in January, TGCSB and TFCC established an anti-piracy unit to combat movie piracy effectively.

During the recent meeting, various stakeholders discussed the extensive impact of piracy on the film sector.

As per a TGCSB statement, estimates suggest that the Telugu film industry suffers losses nearing Rs. 3,700 crores each year, while the broader Indian film industry incurs losses exceeding Rs. 22,400 crores due to piracy.

The Telangana Police have been proactive in addressing this issue, carrying out significant enforcement actions against organized piracy operations.

Investigations indicate that piracy typically arises from two main sources: the leakage of high-definition film content prior to release, either during post-production or at the digital service provider level, and camcording during film presentations in cinemas, which constitutes the majority of piracy incidents.

Shikha Goel emphasized that the newly instituted SOP offers a thorough investigative framework, detailing the procedures for registering First Information Reports (FIRs) under the Copyright Act, Cinematograph Act, and Information Technology Act. It also encompasses forensic examinations of pirated materials, identification of source cinemas through watermarking and server data analysis, collaboration with digital service providers and industry players, preservation of electronic evidence, and action for blocking infringing URLs as per applicable IT regulations.

The newly launched anti-piracy disclaimer will be prominently displayed before movie screenings in theatres and will be integrated into screening packages provided by digital service providers and exhibitors.

This disclaimer warns viewers that both film piracy and unauthorized recordings are punishable offenses, which may lead to imprisonment for up to three years and/or fines reaching Rs. 3 lakhs, or 5% of the film's production costs. The aim is to serve as a strong deterrent against unlawful recording and distribution of films.

The consultation also highlighted preventive strategies across the film distribution chain, emphasizing secure handling and transmission of film content, restricted access through authorized authentication systems, vigilance by exhibitors to prevent camcording within cinemas, retention of CCTV footage for at least one month post-release, and the application of theatre-specific forensic watermarking to trace the origins of pirated copies.