New Delhi, April 28:The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Center to regulate the OTT & social media platforms thar are disseminating sexually explicit contents.
Hearing on the pleas of a joint petitioner, filed by as many as five social activists, a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih directed in favour of the legislature or the executive’s adequate measures to deal with the significant social issue.
The SC’s bench pronounced that, "Case of this nature is not within our domain. However, with the concern for the tender boys, girls and youth, there should be stricter guidelines to examine and regulate the evil contents.
The bench observed, "On the last date itself, we had told him (Jain) that this is for either the legislature or the executive."
Referring the wide use of cell phones by children the bench said that,"The children are quite adapt.It is a good thing, provided they reach the correct educative website.
Acting on the SC’s order, the Center assured a balanced approach on the social crisis.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said the government would not take it as an adversarial litigation.The Apex Court should monitor the measures of the Center.
Mehta admitted that some of the contents disseminated on social media are not only obscene but also "perverse".
During his deposition, Mehta said that there are some regulations in this regard. However, he said, certain more were in contemplation.
The petitioner on their pleas claimed there were pages and profiles on social media sites sharing pornographic material without any filter and various OTT platforms were streaming content having potential elements of child pornography.
"Such sexually deviant material pollute the minds of youth, children and even grown up persons which gives rise to perverted and unnatural sexual tendencies thereby leading to an increase in the crime rate," the pleas added.
The plea also sought the Centre to stop access to social media and OTT platforms until they formulated a mechanism to bar access to pornographic content, especially to children in India.
