"Time to Act": Supreme Court Issues Notice to Centre on YouTube Pornographic Content

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court on Tuesday (18 February) granted protection from arrest to social media 'influencer' Ranveer Allahabadia in connection with several FIRs lodged against him for allegedly making indecent and obscene comments during a YouTube show, but also strongly criticized Allahabadia for those comments. At the same time, the apex court said that the time has come to do something to deal with obscene content on YouTube. The court also issued a notice to the central government to take strict action and make rules in this regard.

During the hearing, the court advocated regulation of pornographic content on YouTube and stressed that something needs to be done. The court said that YouTubers are abusing the lack of regulation on online platforms. A bench of Justices Suryakant and N Kotishwar Singh issued a notice to the Center and said that the bench would be very happy if the government plans to take steps to regulate online content on YouTube. The bench asked Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist the court in removing the lack of regulation of pornographic content on online platforms. The court also ordered Venkataramani and Mehta to be present in the next hearing. The apex court made this remark while hearing the petition of YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia, in which he sought to club together the FIRs registered against him over a lewd joke made on comedian Samay Raina's 'India's Got Latent' show. The show was streamed on this platform. Angered by Allahabadia's comments, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said, "...he has some filth in his mind which he spewed out in the YouTube program." The apex court reprimanded the influencer Ranveer Allahabadia for his indecent comments and asked his lawyer, "If this is not obscenity then what is it? Why should we quash or club together the FIRs registered against you."

The Supreme Court questioned the language used by the influencer during a program on YouTube and said that society has certain values. The apex court said, "The words used by you will make daughters, sisters, parents and even society feel ashamed." The court said that in the name of freedom of expression, no one is allowed to say anything against the norms of society. The bench asked the influencer's lawyer, "What are the values ​​of society, what are these standards, do you know." The bench told his lawyer that society has some self-developed values, you should respect them. However, the apex court, while granting relief to the 'influencer', agreed with the arguments of senior advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, representing him, that he should be provided protection from any punitive action. The advocate said that apart from this, he is also receiving death threats. Apart from granting Allahabadia protection from any coercive action in the FIRs lodged in Mumbai and Guwahati, the bench also said that no further FIRs will be registered against him for his comments during the YouTube programme "India's Got Latent".

Besides, the apex court restrained Allahabadia and other social media influencers associated with the controversial YouTube show from airing any further episodes of the show till further orders. The bench directed Allahabadia to deposit his passport at the Thane police station and said that he will not leave India without the prior permission of the court. The bench also directed influencer Ranveer Allahabadia to cooperate in the investigation of FIRs lodged in Maharashtra, Assam over his alleged indecent remarks.