Sc calls for regulation of obscene online content

Sc calls for regulation of obscene online content

Dismayed at the obscene content being freely peddled on social media, the Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated the need to regulate such vulgar online content.

A bench headed by justice Surya Kant called for the Centre's views on the issue and sought the assistance of attorney general R Venkataramani and solicitor general Tushar Mehta on the next hearing.

The bench orally observed that it would be ‘very happy’ if the government did something in this regard on its own. In case the government doesn't, justice Kant made it clear that the top court would ‘not overlook the importance and sensitivity’ of the issue. SC added that it would not let go of the issue and ‘would like to do something’ to tackle the ‘vacuum’ in regulation of online content.

The development took place during the hearing of a bail plea filed by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia against the FIRs registered against him by various state police on charges of obscenity. Although the bench granted interim protection to Allahbadia from arrest, it chastised him for the kind of language he used in a show titled 'India's Got Latent'. Coming down heavily on the YouTuber, the bench verbally remarked that just because someone has become popular does not mean that he can ‘take the entire society for granted’.

The bench told the counsel for the petitioner: ‘You tell us anyone on the earth would like these kinds of words to be told. You are insulting people, parents also. We don't want to say, but there is something very dirty in his mind that has been vomited by way of this programme.’

SC went on to add, ‘The words which you have chosen, parents will feel ashamed. Daughters and sisters will feel ashamed. Your younger brothers will feel ashamed. The entire society feels ashamed. The kind of words... the perverted mind and the perversity you and your henchman have executed.’

The court said that just because Allahbadia had gained popularity does not mean that he has a ‘license to speak all kinds of vulgarity’ and exhibit his ‘depraved mind anywhere and anytime’.

Justice Kant said SC is aware that the remarks made by Allahbadia were copied from a foreign show. ‘We are not sitting in ivory towers. We know he has copied it from an Australian programme.’