New Delhi [India], September 23 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Centre and social media platforms to identify, remove and block online content allegedly having the tendency to incite communal disharmony, undermine judicial independence and threaten national integrity.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana dismissed the public interest litigation filed by Gujarat-based social worker Hitendra Kumar Parsottambhai Gadhiya.
“Don’t give so much importance to these people,” the CJI told the petitioner, while asking him to pursue his grievances with the authorities concerned.
The plea sought directions to social media intermediaries, including X Corp, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to remove or block posts which allegedly incite people against communal harmony, national integrity and judicial independence, and undermine the authority of constitutional functionaries.
Gadhiya had approached the top court seeking enforcement of statutory obligations relating to unlawful digital content and protection of communal harmony.
The PIL alleged that social media platforms had failed to adequately discharge their obligations under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
According to the plea, videos, memes, manipulated content, abusive posts and other material circulated online allegedly “insult, vilify and promote hatred” against Hindu religious beliefs, Sanatan Dharma and revered Hindu deities.
The petitioner also alleged that fake messages and provocative material circulated through social media had the potential to disturb public order and contribute to communal tensions.
The plea was made by the Union Ministries of Home Affairs and Electronics and Information Technology, the Delhi government, Google/YouTube, Meta Platforms, X Corp and WhatsApp parties.
It sought a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to block or remove social media posts having a tendency to incite the public against communal harmony, national integrity and judicial independence.
It also sought directions to the social media intermediaries to comply with Rules 3, 3A and 4 of the 2021 Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules.
The petitioner further claimed that security threats caused by unruly mobs under the banner of Cockroach Janta Party, coupled with circulation of fake messages on social media, resulted in the national capital and capitals of various States being held hostage.