Public Support for iBomma’s Immadi Ravi Is Alarming, Cybercrime Threat Goes Unseen

There is a worrying trend emerging online: a growing section of the public is expressing support for Immadi Ravi, the operator of the notorious piracy website iBomma, recently arrested by Hyderabad Police for large-scale film piracy. This unexpected sympathy is raising red flags among authorities and industry insiders.

During a detailed press meet held alongside major Tollywood personalities, Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar revealed the shocking scale of Ravi’s operations. Beyond running dozens of piracy mirror sites, Ravi allegedly possessed personal data of nearly 50 million users, data he intended to sell to the highest bidders on the black market. Such data, once leaked or sold, becomes a powerful weapon for criminals involved in identity theft, financial fraud, phishing rings, and other cybercrimes.

Despite these alarming revelations, a section of the public continues praising Ravi as if piracy is a “public service.” This perception stems from ignorance of how dangerous piracy platforms truly are. What many don’t realize is that nothing is ever free online. Users who stream pirated content are unknowingly paying with their personal data, exposing themselves to tracking, scams, malware, and long-term cyber threats.

This growing support signals a deeper problem: lack of awareness. It’s now the responsibility of law enforcement, cybersecurity experts, and film industry voices to educate the public about the risks behind piracy websites like iBomma. People must understand that these platforms are not harmless, they are sophisticated cybercrime hubs that thrive on stealing and exploiting user data.

Unless influential voices step in to correct the narrative, this misplaced sympathy could encourage more criminal operations, putting millions at risk.