Delhi High Court: The Delhi High Court has ordered Meta to remove the objectionable content within 24 hours in the case of morphed pictures of the Prime Minister and a woman. Along with this, the CJP has sent a notice to the leaders and directed them to provide police protection to the victim. The Delhi High Court has given a huge order to the social media company ‘Meta’ while hearing the petition of a woman. The court has asked to remove objectionable pictures and weblinks from social media and various websites within 24 hours. Along with this, the court has issued notices to CJP (Cockroach Janata Party) activists Saurav Das, Abhijit Deepke, Ashutosh Ranka and Ratna Singh. The whole matter is connected with the protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
The High Court has taken a strict stand in the case of a woman’s morphed (edited) picture going viral with the Prime Minister of the country. The court ordered the immediate removal of the objectionable material and asked the police to provide full security to the woman victim. During the hearing, the court made an important comment and said, “This is an extraordinary situation, in which the case is not limited to a woman but is also linked to the Prime Minister of the country. If the police are not sensitive in this matter, the court will ensure that the police become sensitive.” The next hearing in this case will be held on October 14.
What did the woman allege in the petition?
The aggrieved woman has stated in her petition in the High Court that her morphed and obscene pictures along with obscene and insulting slogans were spread in the demonstration organized by the CJP at Jantar-Mantar. The CJP leaders also attached the photo of the Prime Minister in these obscene pictures. Not only this, he was also given death threats. The woman demanded immediate removal of these deepfake pictures from social media before the court.
The woman’s lawyer informed the court that even though an FIR had already been registered in the matter, the police had not taken any concrete steps to nab those responsible or to remove or block the viral deepfake links.
Attitude of the court on the petition of the woman
At the beginning of the hearing of the case, the court had observed that the matter for removal of objectionable material should go to the civil court. However, considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the case, the court clarified that it is not appropriate to rush the woman to different courts, so all legal proceedings will be conducted here.
The court directed the woman to give her address to the investigating officer and directed the police to provide her immediate security. Along with this, the meta platforms have been given a notice and ordered to remove the objectionable content from the social media within 24 hours.
Victim also has right to seek compensation: HC
Regarding the victim’s right to compensation, the High Court clarified that the victim has every right to seek compensation from the organizers of the protest for any illegal activity or damage caused during the protest. The pendency of this application shall not prevent the woman from claiming any other relief under the law.