Supreme Court Blocks Hateful Social Media Content Targeting Sanatan Dharma

• A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to remove and block online content that allegedly insults Sanatan Dharma and Hindu deities.
• The plea targets major social media platforms like Google/YouTube, Meta Platforms, X Corp, and WhatsApp for failing to adequately discharge their statutory obligations under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
• The PIL relies on a landmark Supreme Court judgment from 2015 that struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and argues that social media intermediaries have a responsibility to act against content that promotes hatred and public disorder.

The petitioner has sought directions for the identification, prevention, removal or blocking of allegedly unlawful, provocative, hateful, abusive, derogatory and misleading digital content.

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to remove and block online content that allegedly insults Sanatan Dharma and Hindu deities, as well as disturbs communal harmony. The plea, filed by Gujarat-based social worker Hitendra Kumar Parsottambhai Gadhiya, targets not only the Centre but also major social media platforms like Google/YouTube, Meta Platforms, X Corp, and WhatsApp. The petitioner's main concern is that these platforms have failed to adequately discharge their statutory obligations under the Information Technology Act, 2000, by allowing content that promotes enmity, hatred, and public disorder to circulate freely online.

The PIL relies heavily on a landmark Supreme Court judgment from 2015, which struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. In that case, the court held that the provision violated the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The petitioner is using this precedent to argue that social media intermediaries have a responsibility to act against content that promotes hatred and public disorder. By invoking this judgment, the PIL aims to establish a clear legal framework for regulating online hate speech targeting religious groups.

A ruling in favor of blocking hateful social media content could set a precedent for future cases involving online hate speech targeting religious groups. Lawyers and compliance officers should watch closely for potential updates on the status of this PIL, as it has significant implications for the regulation of online content. The matter is yet to be listed for hearing before the Supreme Court, but its outcome will likely have far-reaching consequences for social media platforms and their obligations under Indian law.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for potential updates on the status of this PIL, as a ruling in favor of blocking hateful content could set a precedent for future cases involving online hate speech targeting religious groups.

Source: Original reporting via Supreme Court PIL