Removal Of Child Porn/Rape Videos: SC Asks Govt., Google, Facebook, WhatsApp Etc. To Implement 11 Recommendations Of Expert Panel [Read Order]

A two Judge Bench of Supreme Court comprising Justices Madan Lokur and UU Lalit has asked the parties including Government to implement 11 recommendations of Ajith Kumar committee appointed by the Court, which is coordinating with WhatsApp, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo Etc.  to remove rape, gang rape and child pornography videos from the internet.

The Bench constituted the committee while hearing a suo motu PIL registered on the basis of a letter from NGO-Prajwala to the effect that videos of sexual violence were being circulated in abundance via internet and WhatsApp.

Committee was constituted to assist and advise the Court on the feasibility of ensuring that videos depicting rape, gang rape and child pornography are not available for circulation, apart from anything else, to protect the identity and reputation of the victims and also because circulation of such videos cannot be in public interest at all.

The Committee has filed a comprehensive report in two volumes. The Court noted that there were 11 proposals on which there is agreement between the members of the Committee.

The Bench has asked the parties including the Government of India to abide by the recommendations on which there is consensus and to try and implement them at the earliest.

“We make it clear that any information that is based on or is pursuant to the proposals and recommendations to the Government of India will be kept confidential so as not to reveal the technology used by the participating service providers. The Government of India will prepare a status report on implementation of the recommendations and place it before us in a sealed cover before the next date of hearing”

The Bench will deal with the proposals on which there is no consensus on 11th December, 2017 at 2.00 p.m.