Delhi High Court Restrains Over 100 Rogue Websites From Streaming Sony's 'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse'

In an interim relief to Sony Pictures Animation Inc, the Delhi High Court has restrained several rogue websites from posting and streaming the upcoming film “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” and “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse”.

"Defendants 1 to 101, as well as all others acting on their behalf, are restrained from posting, streaming, reproducing, distributing or making available to the public, on their websites, or through the internet, in any manner whatsoever, any cinematograph work/content/program in which the plaintiff has copyright, including the films “Spider-Man: Across The Spider- Verse” and “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse”," said the court.

The court has also directed the internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to these websites.

Justice C. Hari Shankar issued the direction in a suit filed by Sony Pictures Animation, seeking permanent injunction restraining over 100 rogue websites from posting and streaming the films.

Sony said that the movie “Spider Man: Across The Spider-Verse”, which is a sequel of the film “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse”, is slated to be released in India on June 2. It told the court it has not licensed the broadcasting rights to the film to any other website.

Sony alleged that the upcoming movie is available for viewing on various websites, several of whom have also advertised the upcoming broadcast of the film.

The counsel for Sony submitted that the impugned websites eminently qualify the criteria prescribed by the Delhi High Court in UTV Software Communication Ltd. vs 1337X. To. to characterise a website as a rogue website.

"The facts of the case as recited hereinabove indicate that the plaintiff’s copyright in the films “Spider-Man: Across The Spider- Verse” and “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse” have/are in the process of being infringed and violated by the Defendants 1 to 101," said the court. 

Restraining the websites from streaming the films, the court also directed ISPs to block access to them, as well as any “mirror/redirect/alphanumeric websites” which appear to be associated with them.

The bench further directed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to issue a notification calling on all internet and telecom service providers to block the access to the websites.

The court has issued summons in the suit and has listed the matter for July 31.

Case Title: Sony Pictures Animation Inc. vs FLIXHD.CC/ & Ors.

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Del) 471

Dated: 29.05.2023

Counsel for the Plaintiff: Mr. Saikrishna Rajagopal, Ms.Suhasini Raina, Ms.Ramya Ramkumar, Ms. Mehr Sidhu, Mr.Raghav Goyal, Mr. Sanidhya Rao and Ms.Anjali Agrawal, Advs.

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