SC flags obscene OTT, social media content; asks Centre to do something

Solicitor General assures balanced approach to content regulation

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday described as an "important concern" a petition seeking a ban on the streaming of sexually explicit material on over-the-top (OTT) platforms and social media and sought responses from the Centre and others involved.

A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih remarked that addressing such matters was primarily the responsibility of the legislature and executive authorities. "This is not within our domain," Justice Gavai noted, pointing to criticisms that the judiciary had been interfering with other branches of government.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Centre, told the court that the government would not view the proceedings as adversarial. "Kindly monitor it here. We will come out with something which balances the freedom of speech while ensuring the concerns under Article 19(2) are addressed," Mehta submitted. He remarked that some of the content in question was not just obscene but also "perverse."