Social media needs to be regulated: Karnataka HC rejects X's petition challenging take-down orders

Bengaluru: Observing that no social media platform can treat the Indian marketplace as a mere playground, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday dismissed the social media platform X’s (formerly Twitter) petition challenging the authority of the Central government’s ‘Sahyog’ portal to issue content take-down orders under the Information Technology Act.

The bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna maintained that social media needs to be regulated, especially in the cases of offences against women.

“Social media needs to be regulated, and its regulation is a must, more so in cases of offences against women, in particular, failing which the right to dignity, as ordained in the Constitution of a citizen, gets railroaded,” the court maintained.

“Every platform that seeks to operate within the jurisdiction of our nation must accept that liberty is yoked with responsibility, and the privilege of access carries with it the solemn duty of accountability,” the court said.

The court observed that X Corp follows the takedown orders in the United States of America, the birthplace of X, as it criminalises its violation.

“But the same petitioner refuses to follow the same on the shores of this nation, of similar takedown orders which are founded upon illegality. This is sans countenance. The petition for all the aforesaid reasons lacking in merit stands rejected,” Justice Nagaprasanna noted.

X had moved the petition following multiple takedown orders issued by the Ministry of Railways after posts about a recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station.

The social media firm, owned by the world's richest man, Elon Musk, had sought a declaration from the court that Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act does not authorise content blocking.
(With PTI, Bar&Bench inputs)