Comedian Pulkit Mani Takes on Meta Over Instagram Copyright Strikes

The Delhi High Court stepped in on Wednesday, issuing summons to Meta Platforms and a handful of other tech players in a case filed by stand‑up comedian and content creator Pulkit Mani. Mani says his Instagram reels were yanked after anonymous users lodged copyright complaints – claims he believes are completely baseless.

According to the filing, the two reels in question were his original creations. He even pointed to timestamps and earlier posts to prove he’d made them first. Yet Meta’s automated system apparently accepted the complaints, slapped a copyright strike on his page and removed the videos.

Mani, who has been doing live comedy since 2021, boasts a follower count of roughly 5.92 lakh on Instagram. He argues that those strikes could seriously damage his online presence – multiple strikes can trigger account restrictions, suspensions, or even permanent bans under Meta’s policies.

During the hearing, Meta told the court it had reinstated the two reels. The company also said it would hand over basic subscriber info and IP logs for the so‑called “John Doe” defendants – essentially the unknown complainants – in a password‑protected file.

Google and WhatsApp made similar promises, pledging to provide subscriber details within a few weeks, also sealed for confidentiality. The Union of India, represented by the Ministry of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications, is also named as a defendant, alongside Microsoft.

Mani’s suit isn’t just about getting his videos back. He’s seeking a declaration that the works are his, an order to erase the false copyright strikes, and a court directive preventing Meta from ever suspending or terminating his Instagram page on that basis. He also wants the identities of the mysterious complainants revealed and damages of about ₹2.20 crore for the alleged financial and reputational harm.

The judge, Justice Jyoti Singh, has set a date for the interim relief hearing on January 18. Until then, the parties will continue to exchange the required technical data, and the legal drama over social‑media copyright enforcement is far from over.