SC directs FB, Google, WhatsAap, Centre to give hard facts on child porn, rape videos

The Supreme Court directed Facebook, Google, WhatsAap, Microsoft and Yahoo to list the number of complaints received in the last two years for hosting objectionable content on their platforms

New Delhi: Taking notice of the increased instances of child porn and rape videos circulating on social media platforms, the Supreme Court on Monday directed networking giants and leading websites – Facebook, Google, WhatsAap, Microsoft and Yahoo – to list the number of complaints received in the last two years for hosting objectionable content on their platforms. The top court also asked them to present corrective actions taken by them.

A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and U U Lalit further gave the Centre 10 days to present details of cases registered by government authorities for circulating videos of child pornography under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, reported the Times of India.

The SC took suo motu cognisance of the issue based on a letter written to the Chief Justice of India by Hyderabad-based NGO Prajwala over the wide-circulation of rape videos on WhatsAap.

It further directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe and arrest culprits behind the rapes and those sharing videos on social networking sites.

Earlier, the centre and social networking giants expressed their inability to stop people upload child porn and rape videos on their platform. The SC then directed Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook and Microsoft to come to India and brainstorm for 15 days to find out a solution.

Following this, a confidential report was filed in the top court by the concerned parties. The bench is now mulling on whether to make the report public, which has been opposed by companies.