More than 160 websites were told to be blocked for the unlawful streaming and giving out of popular films and TV programmes, including Friends, Stranger Things, Squid Game and Wonder Woman. Justice Tejas Karia gave temporary help to a rights owner after they asked the court, stating they had copyright or exclusive rights to distribute in India.
The person who made the claim told the court that the sites which were breaking the law gave people access – without permission – to a large number of works: from very successful comedy series and dramas to films which made a lot of money. The claim listed particular works which were said to be illegally streamed or downloaded, and said that this activity was doing a great deal of ongoing damage to the rights owner’s property and business.
The court said that Defendants 1 to 47 – including the owners of the websites and those in partnership with them – were not allowed to put up, stream, reproduce, give out, make available to the public or otherwise send out the claimant’s works which were covered by copyright. The order, dated December 18, 2025, described these acts as clear breaches of copyright law and gave the rights owner immediate help to stop further unlawful use.
Dynamic injunction to cut down on mirror sites
An important part of the order is the dynamic injunction. The court understood that when one pirate site is taken down, many similar, or substitute, sites appear almost at once. Because of this, the injunction covers not only the websites which are known now, but also newer versions which may come into being later.
This method is intended to stop the ‘many-headed’ problem of piracy by giving permission for quick action against substitute domains and mirror sites, without needing a new order from the court each time. Courts are using such methods more and more to make it easier to take action against online networks which change quickly.
Why the injunction is important
Piracy causes immediate loss of money and makes it more difficult to give out licences, distribute and make decisions about investment in the future. The court stressed that, without quick help, the rights owner could suffer serious and lasting damage. Blocking access to sites which break the law helps to keep the business value of works covered by copyright, while legal ways of distributing operate.
Putting the order into practice will depend on the help of registrars, platform intermediaries and internet service providers. Courts can order domain registrars to stop domains, and tell ISPs to block access – but pirates often use new domains, proxies and virtual private networks to avoid restrictions. The dynamic injunction cuts down the time it takes to respond, though it does not end the technical game of cat and mouse.
Wider results for policy and business
The ruling shows how law about intellectual property adjusts to digital realities. For those who make the rules and rights owners, dynamic injunctions are one tool among many – others include quicker ‘tell and take down’ methods, working together across borders and technical means like watermarking and identifying content.
From a business point of view, protecting works covered by copyright encourages continued investment in making and distributing. For those who use the content, a strong legal system should ideally be joined with legal options which are easy to get to and affordable, so that demand for copied versions goes down.
Fan involvement and piracy demand
High-profile endings and viral ideas from fans can cause a great deal of interest in certain shows. For example, some viewers on the internet thought that a recent ending to a series hid another, unannounced, episode, causing debate and greater attention. That kind of energy, while creative and community-based, can also raise demand for copies which are not authorised, when viewers want access at once.
Conclusion
The Delhi High Court’s order to block over 160 piracy websites and its dynamic injunction are a significant legal step to protect works covered by copyright on the internet. How well it works in the long term will depend on continuing to put it into practice, help from those who work with the internet and the existence of proper, easy-to-use ways of distributing which meet what people want.
