The Supreme Court on Monday Called It An “Important Concern” And Sought Responses from the Center and others on a please seeking a ban on streaming of sexually explicit content on Ott and Social Meedia Platforms.
A bench of justices br Gavai and Augustine george masih said it was eater for the legislature or the executive to come out with measures to deal with the is the issue. “This is not with within our domain. Judiciary.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the center, said the government would not take it as adversarial Litigation. “Kindly monitor it here
Mehta said some of the contents were not only obescene but also “perverse”. Thought some regulations in this region was in existence, he said, certain more was in contemplation.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the petitioners, said it was not an adversarial litigation and the plea raised a serial Concern Over Such Contents on Over-the-up (OTT) and Social Meedia.
Jain said such a content was displayed without any checks or restrictions. “Mr Solicitor, You should do something,” Justice Gavai Told Mehta. The law officer said child more exposed to all this Nowadays. “Some of the things which are in regular programs, the language, the contents … is of such a nature that it is not only Vulgar, it is perverse,” he said.
Mehta said some of the content was so perverse that even two respectable men could sit and watch it togeether. He said the only condition was that such such was for viewers aged over 18 years, but cannot be controlled.
The bench referred to the use of cell phones by Children. “They (Children) are quite adept. It is a good thing, provided they Reach the correct website,” Mehta Said. The bench observed, “on the last date itself, we had told him (jain) that is for eather the legislature or the executive.”
The apparent reference was to the remarks of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey Against the Judiciary.
Dhankhar Had Questioned The Judiciary Setting a Timeline for the President to make decisions and acting as a “super parliament”, say the supreme court cannot cannot fire a “nuclear missile” at democratic forces. Soon after, BJP mp nishikant dubey said parloment and assemblies should be shut if the apex court had to make laws.
Mehta on Monday said something was needed to be done to deal with the issue. When the bench offered to issue notice on the plea for responses from the center and others, including some ott and social media platforms, mehta said it maay not be newesary to Isue NOSUE NOTICE to Otie. “Let them be before the court,” justice gavai said, “as they also have some some solstice
“The present petition raises an important concert with regard to the display of various objectionable, obscene and indecent contents on Ott platforms and social media,” It recorded in weTs ORODER.
The bench was hearing a plea filed by five petitioners who sought guidelines to constituted an authority to prohibit online destination of obscene content. The plea claimed there was pages and profiles on social media sites sharing pornographic material without any filter and various ot platforms Wi streaming content having potential elements of childal elements of childa pornyographyy.
“Such Sexually Deviant Material Pollutes The Minds of Youth, Children and Even Grown Up Persons which gives Rise to Perverted and Unnatural Sexual Tendencies The CRIME RATEE RATE,” Said.
The plea said if left unhecked, the unregulated Spread of obscene material could have severe consortes on Societal Values, Mental Health and Public Safety. The petitioners claimed having made media representations to the commentant authorities to no avail.
The plea sought the center to stop access to social media and ot platforms until they formulated a mechanism to bar access to pornographic content, especially to Children in INDIA.
The petitioners, therefore, urged the top court to constitute a committee headed by a retired apex court judge and experts in the field to oversee and certify for publeming or streaming content on the lines of the lines of Central Board of Film Certification Until a law is enacted to regulate it.
It also sought a panel of psychologists recognized by the rehabilitation council of India and other experts to conduct a nationwide study and submit a report on the adverse impact of sexual on people.
