Is This Legal? Mohak Mangal Puts ANI Under Fire for Alleged Abuse of YouTube Copyright Tool

In a controversy that’s shaking India’s digital creator ecosystem, one of the country’s leading news agencies—Asian News International (ANI)—has been accused of using YouTube’s copyright strike system as a tool for alleged extortion and intimidation.

The allegations, made public by popular YouTuber Mohak Mangal, have sparked outrage across the creator community, prompting calls for regulatory action and government intervention.

Mohak Mangal’s Explosive Allegations

Mohak, known for his commentary and explainer videos, took to social media to accuse ANI of issuing multiple copyright strikes on his content over short clips—some as brief as 11 seconds—that he argues fall under “fair use,” a legal doctrine that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission, especially for commentary, criticism, or reporting.

According to YouTube’s policy, receiving three copyright strikes can lead to permanent deletion of a channel, making it a high-stakes situation for creators who depend on their platforms for income.

But the story takes a darker turn.

The ₹45 Lakh Demand

Mohak Mangal claimed that after receiving two copyright strikes, he was contacted by an individual claiming to represent ANI. The representative allegedly demanded ₹45 lakh (approx. $54,000 USD) to remove the strikes and warned that six more strikes were on the way.

“You’ve only received two strikes now. Wait, you’ll get six more. We’ve filed a total of eight. Once your channel is deleted, you’ll beg to negotiate,” the ANI representative allegedly said, according to Mohak.

Mohak Mangal also released what he claimed were audio recordings and emails of these conversations, showing a demand for a one-year “license” and upfront payment, not a revenue-sharing agreement or any structured licensing plan.

Creators Speak Out

The reaction from the Indian YouTube community was immediate and intense.

Nitish Rajput, another top YouTuber, commented:

“YouTube should take steps to make sure creators don’t end up feeling helpless after putting in years of hard work.”

Influential creator Dhruv Rathee went further, stating:

“Full support to you. It seems like ANI is running an extortion racket. All creators need to unite against this.”

Multiple creators have since shared similar stories, with some allegedly having paid ANI between ₹18 to ₹50 lakh to resolve strike issues.

Exploiting the System?

At the heart of the controversy is YouTube’s copyright enforcement system, which allows rights holders to file takedown requests. While this is intended to protect original content, it’s also been widely criticized for being open to abuse—particularly when used for monetary leverage or content suppression.

Rather than using YouTube’s Content ID system or revenue-sharing models, Mohak Mangal claims ANI deliberately chose to issue hard strikes, putting creators at risk of channel deletion and forcing them into one-sided deals.

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