Social media companies censured for non-cooperation

The division bench comprising Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad before whom the case was listed on Monday was aghast at the counsels seeking more time to file their counters.

On citing the videos of the Pollachi sex scandal still doing the rounds, the judges said it was important that the internet companies helped the cybercrime police by revealing the source and not give excuses like being based abroad and privacy issues.

Coming down heavily on the counsels for failing to file their counter despite notice being issued eight months ago, the bench orally observed while they wanted the profits, they don’t want to partake in remedying the damage caused by the users of such social media. The bench then posted the case for hearing on Tuesday, saying that it would pass an interim order and that alone would get these social media companies to file their counters and come scurrying with vacate stay petitions.

It may be noted that the bench in its earlier order while issuing notice to the social media companies had held, “Having regard to the fact that some information disseminated is an offence punishable under Indian law, the law enforcing agencies, request the intermediaries to furnish details for investigation/detection and as per Rule 3 of the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules 2011, the intermediary shall observe due diligence in the discharge of his duties.”

The plea moved last year had sought to link Aadhar as mandatory for authentication while obtaining any email or user account (social media accounts) and appoint a special and skilled task force to monitor the rising instances of all sorts of cyber defamation and cyber stalking and protect the innocent victimized e-citizens of India.