YouTuber accuses ANI of extortion over copyright strikes -

YouTuber Mohak Mangal Accuses ANI of Extortion Over Copyright Strikes

Indian YouTuber Mohak Mangal has accused Asian News International (ANI) of misusing YouTube’s copyright tools to extort money from digital creators.

Allegations Against ANI

Mohak, known for his current affairs videos, claims that ANI demanded ₹30–40 lakh annually to resolve copyright strikes on his content.
He further alleges that ANI later increased their demand to ₹48 lakh plus GST to remove strikes and restore his channel, calling it “extortion” and “blackmail.”
In a 10-minute exposé video, he shared emails and phone call records as proof, arguing that short video clips under 10 seconds should be protected under YouTube’s fair use policy, which allows limited usage for news, education, and commentary.

Other YouTubers Speak Out

YouTuber Paurush Sharma also accused ANI of issuing two copyright strikes, followed by a demand for money or a subscription in exchange for removing the claims.
He warned that his channel was at risk of being deleted if he did not comply.

YouTube’s Copyright Policy

YouTube allows copyright holders to issue strikes if they believe their content has been used without permission.
Three copyright strikes can lead to a channel being permanently removed, with all videos deleted.
While YouTube acknowledges fair use, it does not clearly define how much copyrighted content can be used, leaving a grey area that some copyright holders exploit.

Public Outrage & Social Media Reaction

The allegations sparked strong reactions online, with many demanding intervention from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, YouTube, and Google.
Some users mocked ANI through memes, while others called for better protection for independent content creators.
Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale wrote to YouTube India, stating that these copyright strikes were a blatant attack on press freedom.