Mohali Court Issues Strict Orders to Social Media Platforms
In a major development, the Mohali court has ordered leading social media companies — Meta (Facebook, Instagram), YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Telegram — to remove all objectionable videos targeting Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann within 24 hours of receiving the order.
The court attached a list of 166 specific URLs that contain fake or offensive content related to the CM.
Court Cites AI-Generated Obscene and Misleading Content
The order was passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class Manpreet Kaur, based on a plea filed by the State Cyber Crime Department (SAS Nagar). The petition claimed that the content was AI-generated, obscene, and had the potential to disturb public order.
The court emphasized that the platforms must ensure prompt action to remove all listed content within 24 hours of receiving the order.
Google Directed to De-Index Offensive Material
In addition, the court has directed Google to de-index and de-reference the objectionable content to prevent it from appearing in search results.
All platforms have also been instructed to preserve all digital evidence and related data to prevent destruction of records.
Fake Video Traced to Canadian Account
The fake video was allegedly uploaded from the account of Canadian resident Jagman Samra. Although the original post was later deleted, the court noted that several other users had reuploaded or reshared the same or similar objectionable clips across platforms, prompting the detailed list of 166 URLs.
Court Warns of Legal Consequences
The court warned that failure to comply with the order will void intermediary protection under the IT Act, and legal action may be initiated against the platforms involved.
