The Delhi High Court has given the Center time to inform about the steps taken to regulate content on social media and over-the-top content.OTTPlatform.
The High Court had earlier directed the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) To take steps for strict enforcement of its rules in respect of intermediaries notified in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Code of Conduct) Rules, 2021 and make such laws or regulations as it may deem fit.
“MONICA ARORA, Standing Counsel for the Union of India, appearing in the Court, is requested to accept notice on behalf of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as well as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as the concerned Ministries of the Government of India. Issues Under Consideration He sought some time to file the reply,” Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma said in an order dated April 12.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on April 25.
The high court was dealing with a matter in which it had said that framing of rules and guidelines to regulate content on social media and OTT platforms required immediate attention.
The Court had emphasized the need to take a serious view of the use of obscene language in the public domain and social media platforms which are open to minors.
overshadowing the language used in TVF In the web series ‘College Romance’, the High Court had said that use of obscenity in the form of foul language demeans women and hence they may feel victimized as profanity and obscenity objectify women for sex.
The High Court’s March 6 judgment came while upholding an order by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) directing the Delhi Police to register an FIR under the Information Technology Act against TVF, the show’s director Simarpreet Singh and actor Apoorva Arora. was asked for.
It had clarified that a direction to register an FIR does not include a direction to arrest any of the accused or the petitioner.
The court had said that the challenge before India, like many other countries, is to enact appropriate laws, guidelines and rules to regulate content on social media and OTT platforms.
After watching some episodes of the series, the court observed that there was excessive use of ‘abuse’, ‘abusive language’ and ‘vulgar slurs’ and the judge had to watch the episode with the aid of earphones in the room, as the language was abusive. It was such that it could not be heard without startling or scaring people around.