'Look at Nepal unrest': SC declines plea to ban porn
What's the story
The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a petition seeking regulation of online content. The court referenced recent events in Nepal, where a ban on social media platforms led to widespread protests and the government's subsequent downfall, as a cautionary example. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai made this observation while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by BL Jain, who sought a ban on pornographic content online.
Policy suggestion
Policy domain
"You know there was an attempt to ban social media in Nepal and you saw what was the consequence," the bench said. The bench, which also included Justice K Vinod Chandran, said the matter lies in the policy domain and suggested that petitioners approach policymakers directly. "It is better you make a representation to the policy makers. We cannot entertain this," the court said
Content statistics
Petition presented statistics on internet pornography
Advocate Varun Thakur argued on behalf of the petition, highlighting concerns about children being exposed to pornographic content easily available on digital apps. He pointed out that many foreign jurisdictions have imposed strict curbs on pornography and sought similar measures in India The petition also presented shocking statistics on internet pornography, claiming that 5,000 porn sites are watched every second.
Future hearing
Hearing after 4 weeksÂ
It further claimed that over two crore porn videos are launched annually in India and over 20 crore such videos are freely available in the market. The petition argued for a national policy under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to block public access to online content. The SC bench said it was "not inclined" to entertain the plea at this stage. However, they agreed to list the matter for hearing again after four weeks.