What is ANI Vs Mohak Mangal copyright strike controversy?

On Sunday, 25 May, popular YouTuber and policy educator Mohak Mangal posted a video titled "Dear ANI." In this video, he shared his experience with Asian News International (ANI), a leading Indian news agency, accusing them of unfairly targeting his channel with multiple copyright strikes. Mangal claimed ANI demanded a large sum of money to remove these strikes and stop his channel from being deleted. The video quickly gained attention across social media and YouTube.

Mangal explained how ANI issued copyright strikes on two of his videos. The first strike was for using 11 seconds of ANI footage in a 16-minute video about the Kolkata rape case. The second strike came from using 9 seconds of ANI footage in a 38-minute video on Operation Sindoor. According to YouTube’s rules, getting three copyright strikes can lead to the immediate termination of a channel. This put Mangal’s entire YouTube presence at risk.

Mangal shared recorded calls and emails where ANI employees allegedly asked for ₹45 to ₹50 lakh to remove the strikes. They also offered a two-year subscription to ANI’s video footage for that price. ANI’s representatives broke down the charges as ₹5 lakh for each strike across eight videos, plus extra subscription fees. Mangal called this demand extortion and said ANI used this tactic against many creators.

What is the ANI vs Mohak Mangal controversy?

The controversy involves ANI using copyright strikes to demand large payments from creators. Mangal said ANI issued strikes for brief clips of their footage, risking his channel’s deletion, then asked for a huge sum to remove the strikes.

Mangal described ANI’s demand as “extortion.” He said, “This is not a copyright claim, this is a hostage negotiation,” and added, “ANI thought I would beg. I won’t bow down.” ANI reportedly told Mangal, “If you want it for a year, pay 30 lakhs. If you want it for 2 years, pay 40 lakhs.” An ANI official also said, “We are a different mode, we don’t claim revenue. We put the strike,” and, “I like Mohak’s channel, that’s why I’m talking to you.”

Mangal argued that short clips used for commentary fall under “fair use,” which allows limited use of copyrighted material for criticism, news, and education. ANI, as a news agency, licenses footage to media companies, but critics say ANI ignores fair use and pressures creators into paying large fees.

This situation raised questions about copyright law and YouTube’s policies in India. Many fear this could harm the growing digital creator community by threatening their channels with strikes and costly payments.

Details of the copyright strikes

ANI’s business model relies on licensing its news footage to organisations for a fee. Copyright strikes are one way to protect their content and control its use. However, Mangal and other creators say ANI is abusing this system.

By issuing strikes on channels using small clips without permission, ANI gains leverage to demand large sums of money. This goes beyond normal copyright enforcement and appears as a money-making scheme targeting creators who depend on YouTube.

ANI representatives reportedly said the strikes are a “goodwill” gesture to show they favour certain creators while charging others high fees. This suggests ANI chooses who to pressure and who to spare based on financial gain.

The controversy shows a conflict between protecting intellectual property and supporting creative freedom. Many creators argue ANI’s approach stifles online content, especially educational and critical videos that use clips fairly.

YouTube copyright policies explained

YouTube’s copyright system allows content owners to protect their work by issuing strikes when they find unauthorised use. Three copyright strikes can lead to channel termination.

The platform supports “fair use,” which allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for criticism, commentary, news reporting, and education. However, fair use is complex and often decided case-by-case, which can cause confusion.

YouTube leaves copyright enforcement mainly to content owners, without much independent review. This means agencies like ANI have strong power to strike videos, even if the use might be fair.

Creators can appeal strikes, but the process is slow and not always favorable. Many fear multiple strikes could end their channel, forcing them to accept costly settlements.

This system has led to misuse by some copyright holders to pressure creators for money, as alleged in the ANI case.

Reactions from creators and public

Many Indian YouTubers have voiced support for Mohak Mangal. Well-known creators like Dhruv Rathee, Nitish Rajput, and Kunal Kamra publicly condemned ANI’s tactics.

Here's how South Asia's Leading Multimedia News Agency and Pro-BJP Propaganda Agency @ANI is squeezing several Youtubers for money while YouTube holds a sword on their content. @YouTubeIndia's copyright policy hands @ANI disproportionate power, enabling them to strong-arm… pic.twitter.com/Cw7uZImgtu

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 25, 2025

Dhruv Rathee called the situation an extortion racket and urged creators to unite against it. Another creator, Mahesh Keshwala, shared his own experience of receiving a strike and being asked for ₹15 lakh in subscription fees for using a 2-second clip.

Fact-checker and journalist Mohammed Zubair highlighted the issue on social media, calling ANI’s actions disproportionate and damaging for India’s digital content economy. He also tagged YouTube’s CEO and government officials, asking for accountability.

This controversy has sparked wider discussions about copyright laws, creator rights, and the need for better policies to protect online content creators in India. The digital community is watching closely to see how this dispute unfolds.

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Madhya Pradesh sees 66 forest fires daily; AI tracks, action still lags 

Indore’s Ramsar site Sirpur has an STP constructed almost on the lake 

Indore Reviving Historic Lakes to Combat Water Crisis, Hurdles Remain

Indore’s residential society saves Rs 5 lakh a month, through rainwater harvesting

Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected]. 

Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, and Follow our YouTube Channel for video stories.