ANI sues YouTuber Mohak Mangal; what it means for the creator ecosystem

New Delhi: In a legal move that could significantly impact India’s creator economy, news agency Asian News International (ANI) has filed a defamation suit against YouTuber Mohak Mangal, following his viral video accusing the agency of copyright abuse and extortion.

Filed in the Delhi High Court, the suit also arrays popular figures Kunal Kamra and AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair as defendants for sharing Mangal’s video and allegedly amplifying defamatory narratives on social media.

At the centre of the controversy is a May 25 video where Mangal alleged that after ANI issued multiple copyright strikes on his YouTube channel for using short news clips, a representative reached out demanding Rs 40 lakh to “resolve” the issue.

The video quickly went viral, sparking debate within the creator and digital rights communities. However, ANI hit back with a legal salvo, alleging the video “intentionally discredits ANI’s services, misuses its trademarks, and falsely portrays a legal copyright enforcement process as blackmail.”

“Despite openly admitting to using ANI’s copyrighted video content for monetisation, the Defendant has published and circulated a video filled with defamatory, misleading, and damaging statements,” the suit alleges.

The agency claims this video has discouraged others from using its services and hurt its commercial interests and public standing. The lawsuit seeks a permanent and mandatory injunction against Mangal to:

1. Take down the video

2. Stop using ANI’s trademarks

3. Refrain from publishing or circulating any further false or misleading content

Similar restraints are sought against Kamra, Zubair, and others who shared or independently commented on the video. ANI accuses them of posting additional “false, baseless, and malicious” statements intended to malign the agency and its founders.

What it means for the creator ecosystem

This lawsuit is part of a growing trend where institutional copyright holders, especially news agencies and media houses, are cracking down on digital content creators for unauthorised use of footage. While platforms like YouTube provide copyright tools, the opaque nature of back-channel settlements and large penalty demands has triggered concern among creators.

For creators like Mangal, whose model depends on commentary and explanatory content, access to news clips is essential for storytelling. However, ANI argues that this access must come with clear licensing, especially when content is monetised.

The case brings forth urgent questions for platforms like YouTube, which now face increasing pressure to strike balance between protecting rights holders and enabling fair, transparent usage for creators. 

BuzzInContent has earlier reported that creators are demanding platform-level licensing solutions and affordable commercial packages from agencies.

Several licensing experts told BuzzInContent that most YouTubers and digital content creators in India will come to understand the nuances of licensing through this case.

If ANI’s legal action succeeds, it could encourage more such suits from other media organisations, posing a potential threat to independent and commentary creators across genres.

The Delhi High Court will take up the matter on May 29.