New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India is hearing a case about online content and accountability. The case involves popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and his show India’s Got Latent. Many people have complained about jokes on the show that they found offensive.
The court is worried that anyone can start a channel online and share content without rules or responsibility. This hearing could soon change how online content creators work in India.
Supreme Court raises concerns over online content rules in Ranveer Allahbadia case
The Supreme Court has spoken about the need to control online content while hearing a case involving YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia. The case began after several complaints said that jokes on Allahbadia’s show India’s Got Latent insulted religious feelings and disrespected women.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said it was “strange” that anyone could create their own channel and not be responsible for what they post. He said, “So I create my own channel, I am not accountable to anyone…somebody has to be accountable.” This shows the court’s worry about unchecked content online.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that this issue was not about obscenity but about “perversity.” He warned that content creators cannot do anything they want in the name of free speech. The Chief Justice suggested that adult content could have warnings and parental controls. He also talked about the idea of an independent body that could decide what content is allowed during a temporary period.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that free speech is a right, but it is also controlled by rules. He said content that harms national unity or sovereignty can be limited. He added that the best way to control content is for creators to regulate themselves. They need to work carefully and responsibly. In his own words, “Where the content is perceived as anti-national or disruptive of society’s norms, will the creator take responsibility for it? Will self-regulation be sufficient? The difficulty we are facing is the response time. Once the scurrilious material is uploaded, by the time the authorities react, it has gone viral, to millions of viewers, so how do you control that?” Bagchi said during the hearing.”
The Chief Justice also warned content creators to be very careful in the future, saying that comments made in India or abroad are watched closely. He noted, “Someone was making comments in Canada also knows all of this.”
Supporting this, Solicitor General Mehta said creators had even mocked the Supreme Court itself. The court said it would not fine the creators if they agreed to donate to a good institution instead. This case is important because it could decide how online content is controlled in India to keep it responsible and respectful.