Centre, Google, FB, WhatsApp agree to stamp out rape, child porn videos: Supreme Court
New Delhi, Dec 6: The Supreme Court Thursday said the Centre and Internet giants, including Google, Microsoft and Facebook, were in agreement that videos of rape, child pornography and objectionable material needed to be "stamped out".
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and U U Lalit noted that intermediaries have "different reactions" to suggestions given earlier by the Centre, which included setting up pro-active monitoring tools for auto deletion of unlawful content by deploying artificial intelligence based tools.
"Insofar as the suggestions given by the Union of India as mentioned in the order dated November 28, 2018 are concerned, it appears that each of the different entities have a different reaction to them. Google and YouTube have one reaction. Facebook, Microsoft and WhatsApp each have different reactions," the bench said in its order.
It said each of these entities would give a proposed or draft standard operating procedure (SoP) for the purpose of implementation of the suggestions given by the Centre.
"Everybody is agreed that the child pornography, rape and gang rape videos and objectionable material need to be stamped out. The proposed/draft SoP will be drafted on this premise," the bench said.
It directed that the draft SoP be filed in the apex court on December 10 and its copies be served to the counsel appearing for the Centre, petitioner and the lawyer assisting it as an amicus curiae.
During the hearing, senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp, told the bench that they have an end-to-end encryption technology due to which it would not be possible to remove the content.
The Centre had last month suggested to the court that the intermediaries should deploy trusted flaggers for identifying and deletion of unlawful content and also set up of 24X7 mechanism for dealing with requisitions of law enforcement agencies.
It had also suggested that there should be prompt disposal of requisitions of law enforcement agencies to remove unlawful contents.
The court was hearing a matter following a letter sent in 2015 to then Chief Justice of India H L Dattu by Hyderabad-based NGO Prajwala, along with two rape videos in a pen-drive.
The court had on its own taken cognisance of the letter and asked the CBI to launch a probe to apprehend the culprits.
The NGO's letter had also mooted the idea of maintaining a national sex offenders' register which should contain details of persons convicted for offences like eve-teasing, stalking, molestation and other sexual assaults.
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Chirag Paswan reportedly demands 36 seats, BJP offers 22 amid seat-sharing talks
Bihar elections 2025
Patna: As the countdown to the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections officially begins with the notification for the first phase issued on Friday, political maneuvering has intensified within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The spotlight is currently on Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who is demanding 36 seats, even as the BJP has so far offered only 22, The New Indian Express quoted its sources as saying.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar convened a meeting of senior JD(U) leaders at his official residence, 1 Anne Marg, to finalise the list of candidates. Meanwhile, LJP chief Paswan called an emergency meeting of his party’s core team at the state office to discuss seat distribution and election preparedness.
While Paswan is reportedly pressing for 36 seats, the BJP is hesitant to concede beyond 22. A final decision is expected only after the LJP's central parliamentary board convenes in the national capital.
The JD(U), on its part, is reportedly firm on retaining constituencies held by its sitting MLAs. Chirag Paswan’s party reportedly wants to contest seats like Manhar in Vaishali, Matihani in Begusarai, and Chakai in Jamui, which are presently represented by JD(U) legislators.
On the opposition front, Congress, a major ally of the opposition INDIA bloc, has moved ahead with candidate selection, clearing 25 names for seats largely seen as traditional party bastions. The list was finalised during a meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Bihar will vote in two phases, on November 6 and 11, to elect a new Assembly, with counting on November 14.
