The Supreme Court on Thursday raised serious concerns over “objectionable” and potentially harmful content circulating across digital platforms, stressing the need for greater accountability among online creators.
Hearing a case linked to a controversy involving content creators Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia and others over a YouTube show titled India’s Got Latent, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said that while free speech must be protected, creators cannot operate without responsibility.
The bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, questioned the effectiveness of self-regulatory mechanisms, especially when “anti-national” or socially disruptive content goes viral rapidly.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that freedom of expression cannot be interpreted as permission to do “anything and everything”.
The court suggested the need for an autonomous regulatory body and measures such as advance warnings for adult content to balance fundamental rights with societal sensitivities.
